Town & Country Bank & Trust CO dba First Bankers Trust CO Has $6.02 Million Stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

Town & Country Bank & Trust CO dba First Bankers Trust CO increased its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) by 0.7% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 53,213 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock after buying an additional 353 shares during the period. Abbott Laboratories comprises 2.4% of Town & Country Bank & Trust CO dba First Bankers Trust CO’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest holding. Town & Country Bank & Trust CO dba First Bankers Trust CO’s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $6,019,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Scientech Research LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $384,000. Ascent Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 13.8% in the second quarter. Ascent Group LLC now owns 21,772 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $2,262,000 after buying an additional 2,639 shares during the period. Magnolia Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 2nd quarter valued at $314,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 5.3% in the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 170,850 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock worth $17,753,000 after acquiring an additional 8,620 shares during the last quarter. Finally, William B. Walkup & Associates Inc. bought a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,207,000. Institutional investors own 75.18% of the company’s stock.

Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance

Shares of Abbott Laboratories stock opened at $129.51 on Tuesday. Abbott Laboratories has a 1 year low of $99.71 and a 1 year high of $129.76. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $115.26 and its 200 day moving average is $113.46. The stock has a market cap of $224.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.93, a PEG ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 1.14.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.34 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.34. The company had revenue of $10.97 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11,029,400 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 31.95% and a return on equity of 20.74%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.19 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.15 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 15th will be given a dividend of $0.59 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, January 15th. This is a boost from Abbott Laboratories’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.82%. Abbott Laboratories’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.85%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $158.00 price target (up from $149.00) on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Monday. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $138.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Piper Sandler boosted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $131.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories to $136.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 2nd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $133.06.

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.