We recently published a list of 10 Best Medical Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) stands against other best medical stocks to buy now.

Navigating the Healthcare Landscape: Investment Opportunities and Growth Trends

The medical and healthcare industry is one of the largest globally, with a steady demand for products and services due to the biological nature of humans. Stocks like Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE:THC) are among the biggest in the world, benefiting from trends that arise during crises like the coronavirus pandemic. Following the pandemic’s rapid spread in 2020, investors were eager to identify the best medical stocks to navigate the global healthcare crisis.

This industry is highly capital-intensive and competitive, encompassing various subsectors, including pharmaceutical companies, healthcare plan providers, medical equipment manufacturers, and hospitals. While healthcare plan providers and pharmaceutical firms often capture consumer attention, hospitals tend to be overlooked, despite their status as publicly traded entities. According to McKinsey, the medical industry’s overall profits are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4%, increasing from $654 billion in 2021 to $790 billion by 2026. Notably, the hospital sector is expected to grow at a remarkable CAGR of 12.5%, reaching $2 trillion by 2028. Similarly, the pharmaceutical manufacturing segment, valued at $358 billion in 2020, is forecasted to surge to $1.2 trillion by 2030, reflecting a CAGR of 13%.

Over time, medical companies such as Pfizer and Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA), a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, were among the most sought-after due to their vaccines. On the stock market, Moderna’s shares increased by an astounding 429% between December 2019 and September 2021. This outcome demonstrates that even modest wagers placed at the ideal moment can provide investors from all backgrounds with large returns. During the same period, Pfizer’s stock saw a more moderate 50% gain; nevertheless, the gap in gains is comprehensible given that Pfizer currently has a market value of more than four times that of Moderna, at $155 billion.

Our Methodology 

For our methodology, we first sifted through the US pharmaceutical, medical devices, and healthcare ETFs and selected stocks that were weighted the highest. After choosing these stocks, we ranked them based on their total number of hedge fund holders as of Q2 2024.

“Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).”

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

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 69 

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is a global healthcare company renowned for its diverse medical devices, diagnostics, nutritional products, and branded generics. Notable innovations include the FreeStyle Libre for diabetes management and minimally invasive cardiovascular technologies like MitraClip and Amplatzer Amulet. In oncology, Abbott focuses on innovative diagnostic technologies, particularly the Alinity m system for early cancer detection. The recent acquisition of Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. (CSI) further enhances Abbott’s vascular device portfolio, opening new opportunities in cancer-related treatments.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) reported Q2 2024 sales of $10.4 billion, reflecting a 4.0% increase in reported sales and 9.3% organic growth which was primarily driven by strong performance in Medical Devices. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.74, while adjusted EPS reached $1.14. Abbott raised its full-year 2024 EPS guidance to $3.30-$3.40 GAAP and $4.61-$4.71 adjusted and narrowed its organic sales growth forecast to 9.5%-10.0%. Recent key product approvals include the Esprit BTK system, Lingo and Libre Rio™ glucose monitoring systems, and the AVEIR dual chamber leadless pacemaker.

From the total hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey, 69 hedge funds held stakes in the stock. The largest stakeholder in the stock out of these was Fisher Asset Management with 10,516,289 shares worth $1,092,747,717. Analysts are also bullish on ABT giving it a Strong Buy rating. 15 Wall Street analysts have set a 12-month price target for Abbott Laboratories, with an average of $127.36. The forecasts range from a high of $143.00 to a low of $107.00, indicating a potential 12.94% increase from the current price of $112.77.

Overall, ABT ranks 6th on our list of best medical stocks to buy now. While we acknowledge the potential of ABT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ABT but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.