Headquartered in North Chicago, AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) is a prominent global pharmaceutical leader with a market cap of $356.4 billion. The company is focused on developing and commercializing medicines across immunology, oncology, neuroscience, aesthetics, and eye care.
Shares of the pharma giant have trailed the broader market in the last year. While ABBV has surged 8.6% over this time frame, the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied by 30.6%. In 2026, the stock dropped 11.8%, compared to SPX’s 8.1% return on a YTD basis.
Taking a closer look, ABBV has also outperformed the Vaneck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH), which has gained 16.5% over the past year.
On Apr. 29, AbbVie reported its FY2026 Q1 earnings, and its shares rose 3.1%. Its total net revenue rose 12.4% year over year to $15 billion, beating Wall Street expectations of roughly $14.7 billion. Adjusted EPS came in at $2.65, up 7.7% from a year earlier and above analyst estimates of $2.59. The company’s immunology business remained the primary growth engine. Management struck an optimistic tone following the quarter and raised its full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $14.08 to $14.28 from the prior forecast of $13.96 to $14.16.
Additionally, for the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect ABBV’s EPS to improve 43.2% year over year to $14.32. Nonetheless, the company’s earnings surprise history is solid, exceeding the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters.
Abbvie stock has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Out of 32 analysts covering the stock, 20 recommend a "Strong Buy," two suggest a "Moderate Buy," and ten advise a "Hold."
The consensus rating is slightly more bullish than a month ago, with 17 analysts suggesting a “Strong Buy.”
On May 4, Evercore ISI analyst Gavin Clark-Gartner reiterated an “Outperform” rating on AbbVie and raised the firm’s price target to $236 from $232, reflecting continued confidence in the company’s growth outlook.
The mean price target of $251.03 suggests a 24.5% premium to current price levels. The Street-high target of $294 represents an upside potential of 45.9%.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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