Abbott Laboratories

• ABT Stock Price 24h change: +0.56%. From 124.30 USD to 125.00 USD. The price rose slightly as investors anticipated the upcoming Q4 earnings report and a scheduled dividend increase, despite broader market volatility.
• Technical Analysis: ABT is currently trading below its 50-day ($126.12) and 200-day ($129.17) moving averages, indicating a short-term bearish pressure or consolidation phase. However, a low beta of 0.72 and a "Moderate Buy" analyst consensus suggest strong defensive resilience, with the stock finding support near its recent lows as it nears oversold territory.
• Abbott Laboratories announced a quarterly dividend increase to $0.63 per share (up from $0.59), with the ex-dividend date occurring today, January 15, 2026.
• The company saw a massive 948% surge in call option volume on Wednesday, signaling significant bullish sentiment or hedging activity ahead of its January 22 earnings release.
• Analysts project Q4 earnings of $1.50 per share on revenue of $11.8 billion, representing approximately 12% year-over-year earnings growth driven by medical device and diabetes care strength.
• The 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference concluded in San Francisco, highlighting major AI integrations in clinical workflows and a surge in med-tech M&A activity across the sector.
• UnitedHealthcare launched a new pilot program to accelerate Medicare Advantage payments to rural hospitals, aiming to ease liquidity issues for healthcare providers nationwide.

• ABT Stock Price 24h change: -0.27%. From 124.64 USD to 124.30 USD. The minor decline reflects cautious positioning ahead of the Q4 earnings release on January 22 and market digestion of recent dividend news.
• From a technical perspective, ABT is currently trading in a horizontal trend channel between $121 support and $135 resistance. Key indicators like the 50-day SMA ($126.15) and 200-day SMA ($129.24) are trending above the current price, suggesting a short-term bearish tilt as the market waits for a decisive breakout signal.
• Abbott announced a 6.8% increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.63 per share, marking its 54th consecutive year of dividend hikes; the ex-dividend date is January 15, 2026.
• The company launched "Libre Assist," a generative AI feature for its FreeStyle Libre app designed to help diabetes patients predict glucose level responses to specific foods using real-time sensor data.
• Wall Street analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" consensus with an average price target of $147.68, focusing on growth in the medical device and diagnostics segments.
• The 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference commenced in San Francisco, featuring major presentations from industry giants like Eli Lilly and Pfizer, with a heavy focus on AI integration in clinical documentation and oncology.
• UnitedHealthcare launched a pilot program to accelerate Medicare Advantage payments to rural hospitals, cutting reimbursement timelines from 30 to 15 days to alleviate financial strain on independent facilities.