Abbott Laboratories (ABT) Positioned to Benefit as Healthcare Sector Enters Recovery Phase

We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Investments During A Recession.  The seventh stock on our list of best investments is Abbott Laboratories.

TheFly reported on January 9 that Bernstein analyst Lee Hambright raised ABT’s price target to $154 from $150, while maintaining an Outperform rating on the stock. The company noted that U.S. healthcare stocks have been rising gradually in recent months following a bottom in September 2025. Bernstein anticipates that healthcare companies, including Abbott, would perform better in 2026 as the market becomes clearer about the macroeconomic and policy issues that put pressure on the industry last year.

In contrast, on the same day, Goldman Sachs reduced its price target for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) to $152 from $157 while maintaining a Buy rating. The firm noted that after a year in which stock performance diverged from underlying fundamentals, 2026 is expected to reflect a return to more normalized trends, with organic growth driving relative valuation. The analyst also clarified that the current model does not factor in ABT’s pending acquisition of Exact Sciences (EXAS).

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is a global healthcare leader with a diversified portfolio spanning Medical Devices, Diagnostics, Nutrition, and Established Pharmaceuticals. The company is currently the world leader in Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM).

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.