Abbott Laboratories stock gains on USD 385 million infant formula settlement and solid July earnings
Published on 09/20/2026 at 11:22 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Abbott Laboratories stock (ISIN US0028241000) traded at USD 102.35 on the New York Stock Exchange as of September 19, 2026, supported by reduced legal risk from a nearly USD 385 million infant formula settlement and solid June-quarter earnings reported in July 2026.
Settlement eases infant formula legal overhang
According to Rava on September 15, 2026, Abbott Laboratories agreed to a settlement of nearly USD 385 million related to its 2022 infant formula recall and Sturgis plant shutdown, resolving a broad set of federal and state claims over product safety and compliance.
The Justice Department announced that Abbott will pay about USD 348.7 million to the federal government and more than USD 35 million to participating states under the settlement, which includes no admission of liability but closes key investigations into powdered infant formula manufacturing issues.Finger Lakes Daily News
New York alone is expected to receive more than USD 9.3 million from the settlement proceeds, with around USD 5.3 million earmarked directly for the state’s Medicaid program, underscoring the scale of the claims and the financial clean-up now largely completed.Finger Lakes Daily News
Earnings and guidance support the investment case
As a recent analysis of Abbott Laboratories outlined on September 19, 2026, the stock traded at USD 102.35 on September 19, 2026, giving the company a market capitalization of USD 177.11 billion and placing the shares within a 52-week range of USD 81.97 to USD 137.49.Ad-hoc-news
In its most recent reported quarter for the period ended June 2026, Abbott delivered revenue of USD 12.59 billion, representing a 13.0 percent increase year over year, while adjusted earnings per share reached USD 1.31 compared with USD 1.26 a year earlier, indicating earnings growth of roughly 4.0 percent despite ongoing litigation costs.Ad-hoc-news
According to Ad-hoc-news citing MarketBeat data, Abbott set guidance for the third quarter of 2026 at USD 1.38 to USD 1.46 in adjusted EPS and maintained full-year 2026 guidance of USD 5.45 to USD 5.60, centered above the then-current consensus forecast of USD 5.52 per share, which signals management’s confidence in earnings resilience.
The same MarketBeat-based overview highlighted that Wall Street’s average price target for Abbott Laboratories stood at USD 119.50, above the latest quoted share price, while BTIG Research raised its target from USD 131 to USD 134 on July 17, 2026, and Wolfe Research upgraded the stock to outperform with a USD 130 target on August 13, 2026, reinforcing a broadly positive analyst stance.Ad-hoc-news
Risk perspective and next earnings date
A recent stock commentary on Abbott Laboratories noted that while Wall Street remains largely bullish with a consensus target of USD 121.50 and around 78 percent of ratings categorized as buy, investors still face risks including margin compression, with profit margin for 2026 projected at roughly 11.64 percent, and the financial impact of the roughly USD 384 million to USD 385 million infant formula settlement weighing on earnings quality.Pluang
The same overview pointed to recent product-related upside, including regulatory approval for the TactiFlex Duo ablation catheter, which adds to Abbott’s cardiovascular portfolio and could support long-term revenue growth, even as the company balances growth initiatives with the legal clean-up from the infant formula episode.Pluang
According to recent market data compiled in mid-September 2026, the next scheduled earnings report for Abbott Laboratories is expected on October 16, 2026, making that date an important checkpoint for investors to see how underlying business performance and reported margins evolve after the settlement and as guidance for the remainder of 2026 is tested against actual results.Ad-hoc-news
Abbott Laboratories stock price context
Per options-chain pricing data, Abbott Laboratories stock closed at USD 102.35 on September 18, 2026, on the New York Stock Exchange, with a modest daily gain of 0.12 percent from the prior close, and later traded at USD 102.74 in extended hours on the same date, indicating steady investor interest around the USD 102 level.MarketBeat
Within the noted 52-week trading range of USD 81.97 to USD 137.49 as of September 19, 2026, the latest quote of USD 102.35 leaves Abbott Laboratories stock USD 20.38 above its 52-week low and USD 35.14 below its 52-week high, positioning the shares roughly in the middle of the range and giving investors both downside protection from the panic levels seen earlier and upside potential should earnings and legal clarity continue to improve.Ad-hoc-news
Abbott Laboratories stock at a glance
- Company: Abbott Laboratories
- ISIN: US0028241000
- Ticker: ABT
- Trading venue: NYSE
- Price (as of September 18, 2026, 15:59): 102.35 USD
- Market capitalization: 177.11 billion USD (as of September 19, 2026)
- Sector / Industry: Health Care / Medical Devices and Diagnostics
- Index membership: S&P 500
- Next earnings date: October 16, 2026
