Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC Sells 2,500 Shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC reduced its position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT - Free Report) by 21.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 9,000 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock after selling 2,500 shares during the period. Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC's holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $1,018,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in ABT. Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in Abbott Laboratories during the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 78.4% during the third quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 289 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 127 shares during the last quarter. Wingate Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Abbott Laboratories in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Highline Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Abbott Laboratories in the third quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter worth $37,000. Institutional investors own 75.18% of the company's stock.

Abbott Laboratories Stock Up 1.4 %

Abbott Laboratories stock traded up $1.87 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $135.04. The company's stock had a trading volume of 7,117,852 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,596,108. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.60. Abbott Laboratories has a 12 month low of $99.71 and a 12 month high of $135.41. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $120.32 and its 200 day simple moving average is $116.65. The company has a market capitalization of $234.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.75.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts' consensus estimates of $1.34. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.74% and a net margin of 31.95%. The business had revenue of $10.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.19 earnings per share. Abbott Laboratories's quarterly revenue was up 7.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 15th will be paid a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.75%. Abbott Laboratories's dividend payout ratio is presently 30.85%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Daniel Gesua Sive Salvadori sold 23,771 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.50, for a total transaction of $3,054,573.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 125,697 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,152,064.50. This trade represents a 15.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on ABT shares. Argus raised Abbott Laboratories to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. StockNews.com lowered shares of Abbott Laboratories from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Barclays reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $158.00 target price (up previously from $149.00) on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Monday, January 27th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price 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.