ABT
Same name, smaller target
BofA Securities just took a haircut to Abbott Laboratories’ price target, slicing it to $120 from $150. That’s a pretty chunky trim, and it reflects a simple investor fear: can Abbott really keep growing fast enough to justify the valuation if the growth math gets less flattering?
The growth goggles got foggier
Analyst Travis Steed said Abbott’s shift to pro forma reporting technically lowers the organic growth it needs to hit 2026 guidance. In plain English: the finish line may have moved a little closer, but the race still matters. BofA now estimates implied organic growth of 6.2%, down from a prior range of 6.5% to 7.5%.
What’s bothering Wall Street?
The first-quarter results didn’t exactly calm nerves. BofA pointed to lighter performance in Libre, structural heart, and EXAS growth, which didn’t exactly scream “second-half comeback incoming.” The firm thinks most of the guidance pressure is front-loaded into the first half, while the second-half outlook is a bit more stable.
Why you should care
Abbott is still sitting on a Buy rating, so this isn’t a bearish ejection seat moment. But when a stock is already near its 52-week low and down 23% year-to-date, even a “we still like it” note can feel like a polite reminder that the easy money may be gone.
Big picture: Abbott’s story is still intact, but the market is clearly demanding cleaner growth before it gives the company a bigger valuation hug.