Abbott Laboratories reported an insider purchase on January 23, 2026, when Chairman and CEO Robert B. Ford bought 18,800 common shares of the company. The reported average price for the trade was $107.1259 per share, producing a total transaction value of $2,013,966.
The filings show that the price per share in the reported transactions ranged between $106.735 and $107.485. After completing the purchases, Ford's direct ownership stands at 253,305 shares. He also maintains an indirect stake of 216,203 shares through the Ford Family Trust.
Context from recent company results and analyst reactions
Abbott's fourth-quarter performance fell short of expectations, with both revenue and earnings impacted. That underperformance prompted a wave of analyst reassessments and price-target adjustments from several investment banks and research firms.
- UBS retained its Buy rating and left its price target at $158, noting investor unease about Abbott's 2026 organic sales growth guidance.
- Bernstein SocGen reduced its price target to $125, pointing to a surprise sales miss and a slowdown in the continuous glucose monitoring business.
- TD Cowen lowered its price target to $137, citing the revenue shortfall and more muted sales guidance for 2026.
- Benchmark reiterated a Buy rating with a $145 price target, attributing the weak quarter in part to issues within the Nutrition Products segment.
- RBC Capital cut its price target to $135 after Abbott failed to meet revenue expectations across all segments.
Collectively, these adjustments reflect a cautious stance from analysts on Abbott's near-term financial outlook following the fourth-quarter results.
What the filing and analyst notes show
The insider buying by Abbott's chief executive is recorded alongside a series of downward revisions from research firms. The transaction details - number of shares, price range and post-transaction holdings - are disclosed in regulatory filings. The analyst commentary included in company coverage highlights concerns about sales execution in key areas such as continuous glucose monitoring and Nutrition Products, and points to tempered guidance for 2026.
Details in the filings are specific about the transaction prices and holdings; the analyst reactions are specific about price-target changes and the segments or business lines cited as drivers of the revisions.
Bottom line
Robert B. Ford's purchase of 18,800 Abbott shares for roughly $2.01 million is documented alongside a series of analyst adjustments after the company's weaker-than-expected fourth quarter. The filings and analyst notes together provide a snapshot of insider activity and external market assessments without indicating future outcomes.