Abbott Laboratories reported a 14.5% rise in third-quarter sales but a 44.1% drop in net earnings, as higher excluded charges accompanied gains in adjusted earnings per share.
Sales reached $13.013 billion, while net earnings totaled $920 million. Abbott said sales grew 7% on a comparable basis, a measure that accounts for its Exact Sciences acquisition and removes certain other effects.
The difference between reported and adjusted results was also evident in earnings per share. Diluted earnings under standard accounting rules fell to $0.53 from $0.94 a year earlier, while adjusted diluted earnings rose to $1.42 from $1.30.
Abbott excluded $1.557 billion in after-tax charges from its latest adjusted figure, compared with $634 million a year earlier. The exclusions included acquisition costs, legal settlements, restructuring and amortization of intangible assets.
Abbott’s comparable sales calculation includes Exact Sciences sales from both the current and year-earlier periods. Abbott completed the acquisition on March 23, 2026. The calculation also excludes foreign-exchange effects and revenue in both periods related to compensation payments received by its Structural Heart business under a multiyear agreement.
Diagnostics recorded the largest reported sales increase among the businesses detailed by Abbott. Sales in that division reached $3.305 billion, up 46.7% as reported and 6.4% on a comparable basis.
Medical Devices generated $5.826 billion in sales, an increase of 6.9% as reported and 7.8% on a comparable basis. Nutrition sales reached $2.262 billion, rising 5.1% as reported and 4.9% on a comparable basis.
Abbott Chairman and CEO Robert B. Ford pointed to growth across the company’s businesses. Abbott narrowed its full-year 2026 adjusted diluted earnings forecast to $5.50 to $5.55 a share and projected about 6% comparable sales growth for the year.
For the fourth quarter, Abbott forecast adjusted diluted earnings of $1.62 to $1.67 a share. It also scheduled a $0.63-per-share dividend payment for Nov. 16, its 411th consecutive quarterly dividend.
