Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) Stock Holdings Increased by Key Financial Inc

Key Financial Inc increased its holdings in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) by 1.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 15,067 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 281 shares during the quarter. Key Financial Inc’s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $1,658,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. United Super Pty Ltd in its capacity as Trustee for the Construction & Building Unions Superannuation Fund increased its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 9.7% in the fourth quarter. United Super Pty Ltd in its capacity as Trustee for the Construction & Building Unions Superannuation Fund now owns 695,644 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock worth $76,570,000 after acquiring an additional 61,393 shares in the last quarter. Oakworth Capital Inc. grew its position in Abbott Laboratories by 5.9% during the fourth quarter. Oakworth Capital Inc. now owns 5,560 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $612,000 after purchasing an additional 311 shares in the last quarter. TRUE Private Wealth Advisors grew its position in Abbott Laboratories by 16.0% during the fourth quarter. TRUE Private Wealth Advisors now owns 6,010 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $662,000 after purchasing an additional 830 shares in the last quarter. Scissortail Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,778,000. Finally, Tyche Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,328,000. 75.18% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have issued reports on the stock. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $141.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. TheStreet upgraded shares of Abbott Laboratories from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $124.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $128.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $126.00 to $128.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 3rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $122.14.

Insider Transactions at Abbott Laboratories

In other news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.50, for a total transaction of $4,781,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,315,537.50. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, VP John A. Jr. Mccoy sold 472 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.50, for a total transaction of $55,932.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 18,760 shares in the company, valued at $2,223,060. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $112.50, for a total transaction of $4,781,250.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at $7,315,537.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 56,435 shares of company stock valued at $6,451,298 in the last ninety days. 0.47% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Abbott Laboratories Trading Down 3.0 %

Abbott Laboratories stock traded down $3.31 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $105.90. 11,985,988 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,677,624. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.64. Abbott Laboratories has a fifty-two week low of $89.67 and a fifty-two week high of $121.64. The firm has a market capitalization of $183.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.50, a PEG ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.74. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $114.57 and its 200-day moving average is $107.60.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 17th. The healthcare product maker reported $0.98 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.95 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $9.96 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.88 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 20.65%. Abbott Laboratories’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.03 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.62 earnings per share for the current year.

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.55 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 12th. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.08%. Abbott Laboratories’s dividend payout ratio is currently 67.48%.

About Abbott Laboratories

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Ménière's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.