Securian Asset Management Inc. Cuts Stock Holdings in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

Securian Asset Management Inc. lowered its position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT - Free Report) by 3.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 93,219 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock after selling 3,011 shares during the quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $10,544,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Great Lakes Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 1.9% in the fourth quarter. Great Lakes Advisors LLC now owns 1,130,410 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock worth $127,861,000 after buying an additional 21,227 shares in the last quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC lifted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 7.3% in the fourth quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 24,999 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock valued at $2,828,000 after purchasing an additional 1,709 shares during the last quarter. Austin Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 4.0% in the fourth quarter. Austin Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,134 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock valued at $242,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Hopwood Financial Services Inc. bought a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $329,000. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 9.8% in the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 22,740 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock valued at $2,572,000 after purchasing an additional 2,026 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.18% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Lisa D. Earnhardt sold 91,167 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.82, for a total transaction of $12,199,967.94. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 71,928 shares in the company, valued at $9,625,404.96. The trade was a 55.90 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Daniel Gesua Sive Salvadori sold 23,771 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.50, for a total value of $3,054,573.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 125,697 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $16,152,064.50. This represents a 15.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 116,449 shares of company stock worth $15,463,316. 0.47% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Abbott Laboratories Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:ABT opened at $132.57 on Wednesday. Abbott Laboratories has a 1-year low of $99.71 and a 1-year high of $141.23. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $126.23 and a 200-day moving average price of $119.13. The company has a market capitalization of $229.91 billion, a PE ratio of 17.33, a PEG ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 1.14.

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

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 15th will be issued a $0.59 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 15th. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.78%. Abbott Laboratories's payout ratio is 30.85%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have weighed in on ABT. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday. UBS Group upped their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $146.00 to $148.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Evercore ISI upped their target price on Abbott Laboratories to $136.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, January 2nd. Citigroup upped their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $135.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. Finally, Argus upgraded Abbott Laboratories to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $137.94.

Abbott Laboratories Profile

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.

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