Abbott Laboratories (ABT.NYSE) AI OPINIONS & ADVISOR ANALYSIS
Read and compare the 14 individual AI Advisor deep-dive reports, including their forecast paths, ratings, price targets, and reasoning.
Updated on 20 September 2026Deep analysis 20 September 2026
Universal Investor AI
The Polymath FrameworkModel rating
Buy
5-Year Return Est.
+61.2%
Includes 1.71% annual net dividend contribution
1. Investment Thesis — Base Case
The central tension is a quality franchise wearing a cyclical's price tag. Abbott's reported numbers are distorted in both directions - flattered on revenue by Exact Sciences, punished on GAAP earnings by the debt and amortisation that bought it. Beneath the distortion sits mid-single-digit organic growthorganic growthThe rate at which a company expands revenue through internal operations rather than acquisitions.View full glossary entry, an improving 58% adjusted gross margingross marginsThe percentage of revenue remaining after deducting the direct costs of producing goods sold.View full glossary entry and $8.72bn of trailing free cash flowfree cash flowFree cash flow (FCF) is cash generated after operating expenses and capital expenditures that remains available for debt reduction, reinvestment, or shareholder returns.View full glossary entry. Over five years the dilutiondilutionReduction in ownership percentage for existing shareholders caused by the issuance of new equity shares.View full glossary entry laps, leverage normalises toward 2x, the NEC docket clears in stages, and the multiple drifts back toward its historical band. The result is compounding earnings plus partial multiple repair, not a violent re-rating.
- Guided FY2026 adjusted of $5.45-$5.60 puts $103 near 18.5x forward, the low end of the decade band [1].
- Assume roughly 7% adjusted EPS growtheps growthThe percentage increase in earnings per share over a specified period.View full glossary entry to about $8.00 by 2031; a 19x exit implies approximately $152 per share.
- Trailing free cash flowFree cash flow (FCF) is cash generated after operating expenses and capital expenditures that remains available for debt reduction, reinvestment, or shareholder returns. of $8.72bn covers the $2.52 annualised dividend nearly twice while funding steady deleveragingdeleveragingThe process of reducing total debt and leverage to strengthen financial stability.View full glossary entry.
Historical prices and published forecast
- Observed price
- Published advisor forecast
View chart values
| Series | Date | Value (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Observed price | 2021-09-16 | 127 |
| Observed price | 2021-10-04 | 116 |
| Observed price | 2021-10-17 | 117 |
| Observed price | 2021-10-30 | 129 |
| Observed price | 2021-11-16 | 130 |
| Observed price | 2021-11-25 | 125 |
| Observed price | 2021-12-03 | 131 |
| Observed price | 2021-12-25 | 140 |
| Observed price | 2021-12-29 | 141 |
| Observed price | 2022-01-20 | 126 |
| Observed price | 2022-01-24 | 121 |
| Observed price | 2022-02-02 | 130 |
| Observed price | 2022-02-24 | 121 |
| Observed price | 2022-03-13 | 117 |
| Observed price | 2022-03-22 | 118 |
| Observed price | 2022-04-08 | 123 |
| Observed price | 2022-04-17 | 120 |
| Observed price | 2022-05-04 | 113 |
| Observed price | 2022-05-08 | 108 |
| Observed price | 2022-05-30 | 115 |
| Observed price | 2022-06-03 | 116 |
| Observed price | 2022-06-16 | 103 |
| Observed price | 2022-07-04 | 110 |
| Observed price | 2022-07-21 | 108 |
| Observed price | 2022-08-03 | 109 |
| Observed price | 2022-08-12 | 111 |
| Observed price | 2022-08-20 | 108 |
| Observed price | 2022-08-29 | 102 |
| Observed price | 2022-09-15 | 105 |
| Observed price | 2022-09-28 | 97.3 |
| Observed price | 2022-10-16 | 104 |
| Observed price | 2022-10-20 | 96.2 |
| Observed price | 2022-11-07 | 99.0 |
| Observed price | 2022-11-28 | 107 |
| Observed price | 2022-12-03 | 106 |
| Observed price | 2022-12-11 | 110 |
| Observed price | 2022-12-29 | 109 |
| Observed price | 2023-01-11 | 114 |
| Observed price | 2023-01-24 | 112 |
| Observed price | 2023-02-14 | 107 |
| Observed price | 2023-02-19 | 105 |
| Observed price | 2023-03-12 | 98.3 |
| Observed price | 2023-03-25 | 98.2 |
| Observed price | 2023-04-07 | 104 |
| Observed price | 2023-04-12 | 103 |
| Observed price | 2023-05-03 | 112 |
| Observed price | 2023-05-08 | 111 |
| Observed price | 2023-05-29 | 102 |
| Observed price | 2023-06-11 | 101 |
| Observed price | 2023-06-24 | 108 |
| Observed price | 2023-07-07 | 107 |
| Observed price | 2023-07-20 | 114 |
| Observed price | 2023-07-25 | 114 |
| Observed price | 2023-08-15 | 105 |
| Observed price | 2023-08-20 | 104 |
| Observed price | 2023-09-06 | 101 |
| Observed price | 2023-09-15 | 102 |
| Observed price | 2023-10-02 | 96.0 |
| Observed price | 2023-10-15 | 92.2 |
| Observed price | 2023-10-19 | 95.3 |
| Observed price | 2023-11-10 | 94.6 |
| Observed price | 2023-11-23 | 103 |
| Observed price | 2023-12-02 | 105 |
| Observed price | 2023-12-23 | 109 |
| Observed price | 2024-01-01 | 110 |
| Observed price | 2024-01-10 | 114 |
| Observed price | 2024-01-23 | 113 |
| Observed price | 2024-01-31 | 113 |
| Observed price | 2024-02-18 | 116 |
| Observed price | 2024-03-10 | 120 |
| Observed price | 2024-03-15 | 117 |
| Observed price | 2024-04-05 | 111 |
| Observed price | 2024-04-10 | 112 |
| Observed price | 2024-05-01 | 106 |
| Observed price | 2024-05-06 | 105 |
| Observed price | 2024-05-27 | 102 |
| Observed price | 2024-06-01 | 103 |
| Observed price | 2024-06-09 | 106 |
| Observed price | 2024-06-27 | 104 |
| Observed price | 2024-07-18 | 101 |
| Observed price | 2024-07-23 | 104 |
| Observed price | 2024-08-09 | 109 |
| Observed price | 2024-08-18 | 111 |
| Observed price | 2024-09-09 | 116 |
| Observed price | 2024-09-13 | 117 |
| Observed price | 2024-09-26 | 113 |
| Observed price | 2024-10-18 | 117 |
| Observed price | 2024-10-26 | 115 |
| Observed price | 2024-11-13 | 116 |
| Observed price | 2024-11-26 | 119 |
| Observed price | 2024-11-30 | 117 |
| Observed price | 2024-12-17 | 113 |
| Observed price | 2024-12-30 | 113 |
| Observed price | 2025-01-08 | 114 |
| Observed price | 2025-01-21 | 121 |
| Observed price | 2025-02-07 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2025-02-16 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2025-03-05 | 137 |
| Observed price | 2025-03-23 | 126 |
| Observed price | 2025-03-31 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2025-04-09 | 125 |
| Observed price | 2025-05-01 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2025-05-18 | 135 |
| Observed price | 2025-05-22 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2025-05-31 | 133 |
| Observed price | 2025-06-22 | 135 |
| Observed price | 2025-06-26 | 137 |
| Observed price | 2025-07-18 | 122 |
| Observed price | 2025-07-22 | 126 |
| Observed price | 2025-08-08 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2025-08-21 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2025-08-26 | 132 |
| Observed price | 2025-09-12 | 133 |
| Observed price | 2025-09-21 | 135 |
| Observed price | 2025-10-12 | 133 |
| Observed price | 2025-10-30 | 124 |
| Observed price | 2025-11-03 | 124 |
| Observed price | 2025-11-16 | 130 |
| Observed price | 2025-11-29 | 127 |
| Observed price | 2025-12-08 | 123 |
| Observed price | 2026-01-07 | 127 |
| Observed price | 2026-01-16 | 123 |
| Observed price | 2026-01-20 | 121 |
| Observed price | 2026-01-29 | 106 |
| Observed price | 2026-02-24 | 114 |
| Observed price | 2026-03-09 | 111 |
| Observed price | 2026-03-17 | 108 |
| Observed price | 2026-04-04 | 102 |
| Observed price | 2026-04-08 | 103 |
| Observed price | 2026-04-30 | 90.6 |
| Observed price | 2026-05-13 | 84.1 |
| Observed price | 2026-05-17 | 87.6 |
| Observed price | 2026-05-30 | 87.2 |
| Observed price | 2026-06-08 | 91.2 |
| Observed price | 2026-06-30 | 90.7 |
| Observed price | 2026-07-17 | 101 |
| Observed price | 2026-07-21 | 100 |
| Observed price | 2026-08-12 | 111 |
| Observed price | 2026-08-21 | 117 |
| Observed price | 2026-09-07 | 106 |
| Observed price | 2026-09-22 | 104 |
| Observed price | 2026-09-24 | 101 |
| Observed price | 2026-09-25 | 101 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2026-09-18 | 103 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2026-12-18 | 106 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2027-03-18 | 104 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2027-06-18 | 108 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2027-09-18 | 110 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2027-12-18 | 113 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2028-03-18 | 117 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2028-06-18 | 120 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2028-09-18 | 124 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2028-12-18 | 127 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2029-03-18 | 124 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2029-06-18 | 127 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2029-09-18 | 131 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2029-12-18 | 135 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2030-03-18 | 138 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2030-06-18 | 135 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2030-09-18 | 139 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2030-12-18 | 142 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2031-03-18 | 145 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2031-06-18 | 149 |
| Published advisor forecast | 2031-09-18 | 152 |
2. Scenarios & Signals
Bull case
The bull case activates when litigation certainty and rate relief arrive together. A global NEC inventory settlement frees the buyback, leverage falls faster than guided, and Cologuard sustains double-digit growth that validates the $23bn enterprise valueenterprise valueA measure of total business value, commonly calculated as equity value plus debt and preferred claims, less cash and cash equivalents.View full glossary entry paid for Exact Sciences. Group organic growthThe rate at which a company expands revenue through internal operations rather than acquisitions. holds near 8%, adjusted EPS compounds toward $9 by 2031, and defensive rotation restores a low-20s multiple. Abbott then reprices as a diversified healthcare compoundercompounderA business or asset that can reinvest earnings or cash flows at attractive returns over an extended period.View full glossary entry rather than a levered acquirer, delivering low-to-mid-teens annualised total return.
Bear case
The bear case activates if CGM commoditisation and regulatory escalation collide. Libre growth slides below high single digits under Dexcom and Medtronic pricing pressure while an FDA consent decreeconsent decreeConsent decree is a legally binding settlement in which parties agree to specific obligations without fully litigating the underlying dispute.View full glossary entry interrupts sensor supply; diagnostics comparable growth disappoints, exposing the Exact purchase as scale without economics. Interest on $20bn of debt then consumes the earnings the deal was supposed to add, the NEC tail accretes past $3bn, and the multiple settles permanently near 15x - leaving the shares range-bound with the dividend as the only return.
Current crowd narrative
The consensus treats Abbott as a broken compounderA business or asset that can reinvest earnings or cash flows at attractive returns over an extended period. on probation: 27 analysts still rate it Buy with targets near $120-$124, yet the shares sit barely above a 52-week low after a 37% peak-to-trough drawdown [15][17][18]. The anchoring bias is the $139 June 2025 high, which frames every print as disappointment. Priced in: slower CGM, deal indigestion and open litigation.
Alpha-gap assessment
The crowd underestimates these shares, and the mispricing hides in the accounting. The supplied 33x trailing P/E is a GAAP artefact of Exact Sciences amortisation, $20bn of new interest and litigation charges; against guided FY2026 adjusted of $5.45-$5.60, $103 is roughly 18.5x forward [1]. Investors are extrapolating a temporary GAAP distortion into a permanent quality downgrade, while TTM free cash flowFree cash flow (FCF) is cash generated after operating expenses and capital expenditures that remains available for debt reduction, reinvestment, or shareholder returns. of $8.72bn, a 4.9% FCF yieldfcf yieldFree cash flow divided by market value, showing cash generation relative to the asset price.View full glossary entry, keeps compounding untouched by the noise.
Convergence catalyst
The January 2027 FY2027 guidance print is the pivot: the first framework in which Exact dilutionReduction in ownership percentage for existing shareholders caused by the issuance of new equity shares. has lapped and adjusted eps growthThe percentage increase in earnings per share over a specified period. reverts to high single digits on a clean base. First observable sign of repricing is guidance above $6.00 with comparable growth held near 7%, drawing target upgrades.
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