Leerink Partners Begins Coverage on ABT

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is one of Best Dividend Stocks to Buy for Dependable Growth.

The company is a Dividend King with 53 consecutive years of dividend growth. Its five-year average annual dividend growth rate sits at nearly 11%. It pays a quarterly dividend of $0.59 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.78%, as of June 17.

An operating room with a doctor monitoring a patient’s vital signs during surgery with a medical device.

Leerink Partners has initiated coverage of the medical devices company, assigning it a hold-equivalent rating along with a target price of $143. This target suggests an upside of less than 6% from the stock’s closing price on Friday. Although Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is recognized for its strong industry position, Leerink’s analysts mentioned that they think “potential upside growth drivers and strong execution” are mostly already reflected in the company’s “stock at current peak valuation levels,” and they do not see any significant near-term catalysts.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) recently received positive news from Canada, where the government approved a rapid blood test designed to assist clinicians in evaluating suspected concussions. Although this may not have an immediate significant impact, it’s an intriguing product with potential applications, such as at sporting events.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is an international healthcare company that develops, produces, and markets a broad variety of health-related products. The stock has surged by over 16% since the start of 2025.

While we acknowledge the potential of ABT as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you’re looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

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Disclosure. None.