Deutsche Bank restated their buy rating on shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) in a report published on Friday morning, Analyst Ratings Network.com reports.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. RBC Capital dropped their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $51.00 to $45.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. William Blair downgraded shares of Abbott Laboratories from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a report on Friday. Vetr downgraded shares of Abbott Laboratories from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating and set a $50.32 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, December 23rd. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $48.00 to $45.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Sunday, January 24th. Finally, Jefferies Group boosted their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories to $49.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, November 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $48.41.

Shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) opened at 37.85 on Friday. Abbott Laboratories has a one year low of $36.00 and a one year high of $51.74. The firm has a market cap of $56.46 billion and a P/E ratio of 12.93. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $42.39 and its 200-day moving average is $44.71.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 28th. The healthcare product maker reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $5.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.31 billion. The company’s revenue was down 3.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.71 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post $2.19 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 16th. Investors of record on Friday, January 15th will be given a dividend of $0.26 per share. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.75%. This is an increase from Abbott Laboratories’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.14. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 13th.

In related news, CEO Miles D. White sold 438,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.00, for a total transaction of $20,148,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 1,394,153 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $64,131,038. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Other large investors have added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Beacon Capital Management acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories during the fourth quarter valued at about $0. Lenox Wealth Advisors raised its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 6.5% in the fourth quarter. Lenox Wealth Advisors now owns 1,241 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $56,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. First National Bank of Mount Dora acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories during the fourth quarter valued at about $220,000. Carroll Financial Associates raised its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 2.9% in the fourth quarter. Carroll Financial Associates now owns 5,636 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $253,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Premier Asset Managment LLC raised its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Premier Asset Managment LLC now owns 5,722 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $256,000 after buying an additional 22 shares during the last quarter.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is engaged in the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of a range of health care products. Abbott operates in four business segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Vascular Products. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment includes the international sales of a line of branded generic pharmaceutical products. The Nutritional Products includes the sales of diagnostic systems and tests for blood banks, hospitals, commercial laboratories and alternate-care testing sites. The Diagnostic Products segment includes the sales of a line of adult and pediatric nutritional products. The Vascular Products includes the sales of coronary, endovascular, structural heart, vessel closure and other medical device products.

12 Month Chart for NYSE:ABT

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