Key Takeaways
- Q1 adjusted earnings per share reached $1.15, aligning with Wall Street projections of $1.14–$1.15
- Quarterly revenue totaled $11.16B, surpassing the $11B analyst forecast
- Newly integrated cancer diagnostics division from Exact Sciences acquisition contributed to revenue growth
- Medical device segment, the company’s biggest revenue generator, maintained strong momentum
- Second-quarter EPS outlook of $1.25–$1.31 trails the $1.32 analyst expectation
Abbott Laboratories unveiled its first-quarter financial performance on April 16, delivering revenue figures that surpassed analyst projections, with its recently integrated cancer diagnostics operation providing meaningful support.
Abbott Labs Q1 2026 Earnings
– Adj EPS $1.15 (est $1.15)
– Net Sales $11.16B (est $11.01B)
– Sees Q2 Adj EPS $1.25 To $1.31 (est $1.31)
– Sees FY Organic Sales +6.5% To +7.5% (est +6.87%)
— First Squawk (@FirstSquawk) April 16, 2026
The healthcare giant posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.15 for the period. This figure aligned with one analyst estimate of $1.15 and exceeded an alternative consensus projection of $1.14 by a single cent, with variation depending on the data provider.
Quarterly revenue reached $11.16 billion, outpacing the $11 billion Wall Street had anticipated.
Shares closed at $101.56 prior to the earnings announcement. ABT has declined 16.59% during the previous three-month period and dropped 22.46% year-over-year.
The Exact Sciences transaction influenced this quarter’s performance. Abbott finalized an agreement to acquire the cancer-testing company in November at $105 per share through a transaction valued at approximately $23 billion. The acquisition completed in March 2026.
This transaction represented one of Abbott’s most significant deals and signaled its strategic expansion into cancer diagnostic testing. Performance from this newly integrated division helped drive the Q1 revenue outperformance.
Device Division Maintains Momentum
Abbott’s medical device division continues to be its primary revenue source. The segment delivered solid results in Q1, supporting the company’s overall revenue performance.
The organization has relied heavily on its device operations as a fundamental growth engine for multiple quarters. This pattern persisted throughout the initial three months of 2026.
Forward Outlook Falls Slightly Short
For the second quarter of 2026, Abbott projected EPS between $1.25 and $1.31. Analyst consensus stood at $1.32, positioning Abbott’s guidance midpoint marginally below Street expectations.
For fiscal 2026, Abbott anticipates EPS ranging from $5.38 to $5.58. The analyst consensus of $5.47 falls comfortably within that projected range.
Abbott experienced zero upward EPS revisions and 18 downward EPS revisions over the past 90 days. This represents a change from the previous quarter’s “great performance” designation — InvestingPro currently assigns Abbott’s financial condition a “good performance” rating.
The revenue outperformance provides encouragement, despite the guidance range falling short of full Street expectations. Abbott’s Q1 top-line results represented the stronger aspect of this quarterly report.
The full-year EPS consensus of $5.47 remains within Abbott’s projected band of $5.38 to $5.58, providing the company with opportunity to meet or exceed that target as 2026 progresses.
