Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC Sells 150 Shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC cut its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) by 0.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 42,610 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock after selling 150 shares during the period. Abbott Laboratories comprises approximately 2.6% of Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest position. Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC’s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $4,820,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Ipsen Advisor Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories in the fourth quarter worth about $500,000. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp bought a new position in Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $600,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp boosted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 2.1% in the fourth quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 870,404 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $98,451,000 after buying an additional 17,798 shares in the last quarter. Florida Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 34.3% during the fourth quarter. Florida Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,453 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock worth $277,000 after buying an additional 627 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. now owns 181,915 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $20,576,000 after acquiring an additional 7,432 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.18% of the company’s stock.

Abbott Laboratories Trading Down 1.4 %

Shares of Abbott Laboratories stock opened at $125.46 on Wednesday. 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 52 week low of $99.71 and a 52 week high of $141.23. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $129.04 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $120.12. The stock has a market capitalization of $217.59 billion, a PE ratio of 16.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 0.70.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.34 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.34. The firm had revenue of $10.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.03 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 31.95% and a return on equity of 20.74%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.19 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 15th will be issued a $0.59 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, April 15th. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.88%. Abbott Laboratories’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.85%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $158.00 target price (up previously from $149.00) on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Monday, January 27th. StockNews.com lowered Abbott Laboratories from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Citigroup raised their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $135.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $136.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Finally, Argus upgraded shares of Abbott Laboratories to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 28th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $137.94.

Insider Buying and Selling at Abbott Laboratories

In other news, EVP Daniel Gesua Sive Salvadori sold 23,771 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.50, for a total value of $3,054,573.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 125,697 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,152,064.50. This represents a 15.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 949 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction on Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.17, for a total value of $131,123.33. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 74,381 shares in the company, valued at $10,277,222.77. This trade represents a 1.26 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 116,449 shares of company stock worth $15,463,316. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

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.