Bfsg LLC Invests $51,000 in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

Bfsg LLC acquired a new position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 467 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock, valued at approximately $51,000.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. GAMMA Investing LLC bought a new position in Abbott Laboratories during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,916,000. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 10.4% during the fourth quarter. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC now owns 20,045 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $2,206,000 after buying an additional 1,895 shares during the last quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 6.4% during the fourth quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas now owns 43,215 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $4,757,000 after buying an additional 2,596 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 27.2% during the fourth quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 16,364 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $1,801,000 after buying an additional 3,497 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 9.1% during the fourth quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 186,718 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $20,552,000 after buying an additional 15,598 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.18% of the company’s stock.

Abbott Laboratories Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE ABT opened at $106.65 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.64. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $113.77 and its 200-day moving average price is $107.96. Abbott Laboratories has a fifty-two week low of $89.67 and a fifty-two week high of $121.64. The company has a market cap of $185.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.22, a PEG ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.74.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 17th. The healthcare product maker reported $0.98 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.96 by $0.02. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.32% and a net margin of 13.96%. The firm had revenue of $9.96 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.88 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.03 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.62 earnings per share for the current year.

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Investors of record on Monday, April 15th will be paid a $0.55 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 12th. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.06%. Abbott Laboratories’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 68.54%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages recently commented on ABT. Barclays dropped their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $141.00 to $140.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday. Evercore ISI upped their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 4th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $126.00 to $128.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $128.00 to $125.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 18th. Finally, Raymond James restated a “buy” rating and set a $124.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Wednesday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $121.50.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 12,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total value of $1,500,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 78,704 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,444,480. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,315,537.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 12,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total value of $1,500,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 78,704 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,444,480. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 56,435 shares of company stock valued at $6,451,298 over the last quarter. 1.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Abbott Laboratories Company Profile

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.