ABT
A pretty solid quarter, honestly
Abbott came out swinging in the second quarter: reported sales jumped 13.0%, comparable sales rose 4.8%, and adjusted diluted EPS landed at $1.31. Not exactly a “we’ll get ‘em next time” kind of earnings print.
The part Wall Street actually cares about
The real headline for investors is the raised full-year 2026 EPS guide. Abbott lifted its adjusted diluted EPS range to $5.45 to $5.60, up from $5.38 to $5.58. That’s management basically saying, “Yeah, the year’s looking a little better than we thought.”
It also reaffirmed comparable sales growth guidance of 6.5% to 7.5% for the year, which suggests the company isn’t just seeing one-quarter fireworks — it thinks the demand backdrop is still holding up.
Cash, meet shareholders
Abbott returned $2.1 billion to shareholders in the quarter through dividends and buybacks. So if you’re the type of investor who likes a company that can grow, raise guidance, and still hand you some cash on the way out, this one checked a lot of boxes.
Big picture: Abbott’s latest update reads like the financial equivalent of showing up to the party on time, bringing dessert, and then offering to split the cab home.