Abbott Laboratories

What does Abbott Laboratories own?
Abbott Laboratories owns brands across nutrition (Similac, Ensure, PediaSure, Pedialyte), medical devices (FreeStyle Libre, Volt, TactiFlex, Amulet), and diagnostics (Cologuard, BinaxNOW, Alinity). The company acquired Exact Sciences in March 2026 for $21 billion, adding Cologuard and other molecular diagnostic products.

Is Abbott Laboratories publicly traded?
Yes, Abbott Laboratories trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ABT. The company has been publicly listed since 1929 and is a component of the S&P 500 Index.

Who founded Abbott Laboratories?
Abbott was founded in 1888 by Dr. Wallace Calvin Abbott, a physician in Ravenswood, Illinois (now part of Chicago). He began by manufacturing reliable dosimetric granules for pharmaceutical use.

Where is Abbott Laboratories headquartered?
Abbott is headquartered in Abbott Park, North Chicago, Illinois, USA. The company operates in more than 160 countries globally.

How many brands does Abbott Laboratories own?
Abbott owns numerous brands across its four segments. Key consumer brands include Similac, Ensure, PediaSure, and Pedialyte in nutrition. Key medical device brands include FreeStyle Libre, Volt, and Amulet. Key diagnostics brands include Cologuard, BinaxNOW, and Alinity.

Who owns Abbott Laboratories?
Abbott Laboratories is a publicly traded company with shares held by institutional investors, mutual funds, and individual shareholders. The company is led by Chairman and CEO Robert B. Ford.

What is Abbott Laboratories' revenue?
Abbott reported Q2 2026 sales of $12.59 billion, up 13.0% on a reported basis and 4.8% on a comparable basis. The company reaffirmed full-year 2026 comparable sales growth guidance of 6.5% to 7.5% and raised adjusted diluted EPS guidance to $5.45 to $5.60.

Did Abbott acquire Exact Sciences?
Yes, Abbott completed the $21 billion acquisition of Exact Sciences in March 2026. The acquisition added Cologuard, a noninvasive colorectal cancer screening test, to Abbott's diagnostics portfolio. Diagnostics sales grew 42% year over year in Q2 2026, the first full quarter including Exact Sciences results.

Abbott was founded in 1888 by Dr. Wallace Calvin Abbott in Ravenswood, Illinois (now part of Chicago). Dr. Abbott was a physician frustrated by the inconsistent quality of pharmaceutical dosimetric granules sold by commercial druggists. He began manufacturing his own reliable dosimetric granules and built the company from this foundation.

Abbott went public in 1929 and grew through acquisitions and organic expansion across diagnostics, pharmaceutical, and hospital supply categories throughout the twentieth century. The company spun off its pharmaceutical and nutritional products as AbbVie in 2013, retaining the medical devices, diagnostics, and nutrition segments.

The 2022 infant formula shortage was one of the most significant crises in Abbott's recent history. The voluntary recall of Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare products manufactured at the Sturgis, Michigan facility, following FDA findings of conditions that could allow bacterial contamination, led to months of product shortages. Abbott invested in facility remediation and new production capacity following the recall.

In March 2026, Abbott completed the $21 billion acquisition of Exact Sciences, adding Cologuard colorectal cancer screening and other molecular diagnostic products to its portfolio. The acquisition significantly expanded Abbott's diagnostics segment, which grew 42% year over year in Q2 2026, the first full quarter including Exact Sciences results.

In Q2 2026, Abbott reported sales of $12.59 billion, up 13.0% on a reported basis and 4.8% on a comparable basis. Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.31, beating analyst estimates of $1.28. The company raised full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $5.45 to $5.60, up from the previous range of $5.38 to $5.58. Abbott returned $2.1 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in Q2 2026 and declared its 410th consecutive quarterly dividend of $0.63 per share.

Abbott has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and has set science-based targets covering Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. The company has invested in reducing single-use plastic in its product packaging and in responsible sourcing of ingredients for its nutrition products.

Abbott publishes an annual ESG report covering environmental performance, social impact, and governance. The company has been recognized for its sustainability efforts, including carbon reduction initiatives and sustainable packaging programs. Abbott is not a Certified B Corporation.

In ethics and compliance, Abbott operates under corporate compliance programs and is subject to FDA regulation across its medical device, diagnostics, and nutrition businesses. The company has implemented responsible marketing practices for its infant formula products, particularly in international markets following concerns about formula marketing raised by advocacy groups.

Abbott has received consistent recognition for its innovation, sustainability, and workplace practices.

• Fortune Most Admired Companies: Abbott has been consistently named to Fortune's Most Admired Companies list, ranking first in the pharmaceuticals industry category multiple times
• Dow Jones Sustainability Index: Abbott has been included in the DJSI World Index for multiple consecutive years
• Science Based Targets Initiative: Abbott's emissions reduction targets have been validated by the SBTi
• Best Workplaces: Abbott has been recognized by Great Place to Work and Fortune as one of the best workplaces in healthcare
• Innovation Awards: Abbott's FreeStyle Libre and other medical device products have received multiple innovation awards from industry organizations

2022 infant formula recall: The voluntary recall of Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare products from the Sturgis, Michigan facility in 2022 was one of the most significant regulatory events in Abbott's history. The FDA found conditions at the facility that could allow Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria to contaminate products. The recall contributed to a nationwide infant formula shortage that lasted months. Abbott invested in facility remediation, and the Sturgis plant resumed production after FDA approval. The company faced congressional investigations and lawsuits related to the recall. In 2023, Abbott reached a settlement with the family of an infant who died after consuming contaminated formula.

Infant formula marketing practices: Abbott has faced criticism from advocacy groups regarding the marketing of infant formula in developing countries, particularly compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. The company has stated that it complies with local regulations in all markets where it operates.

Exact Sciences acquisition scrutiny: The $21 billion acquisition of Exact Sciences, completed in March 2026, was reviewed by antitrust regulators. The deal was approved without requiring significant divestitures, though it expanded Abbott's already substantial diagnostics market position.

ACA enrollment concerns: In 2026, analysts raised concerns that potential declines in Affordable Care Act enrollment could reduce procedure volumes and diagnostic testing demand. CEO Robert Ford disputed this, calling it a "flawed assumption" that would materially affect the medtech and diagnostics industry.