Abbott Reports Strong Full-Year 2018 Results with $30.6 Billion in Global Sales

Abbott, a global leader in healthcare, recently announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2018. The report showed that Abbott’s global sales in the fourth quarter reached $7.8 billion, a year-over-year increase of 6.4%. Full-year global sales totaled $30.6 billion, representing a 7.3% increase from the previous year. In the fourth quarter, Abbott’s adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) were $0.81, bringing the full-year adjusted diluted EPS to $2.88, a 15.2% increase compared to the prior year. This strong performance capped off a successful 2018 for Abbott.

Specifically, Abbott’s global nutrition business saw a year-over-year sales increase of 3.6% in the fourth quarter, with full-year growth reaching 5.2%. The company’s infant nutrition segment delivered strong performance in the U.S. market, as well as in Asian and Latin American markets represented by China, Vietnam, and Mexico. Meanwhile, adult nutrition sales also stood out, driven by two leading products: Ensure, the market-leading complete nutritional brand, and Glucerna, the nutritional brand specifically formulated for individuals with diabetes.

Additionally, Abbott’s global diagnostics sales increased by 7.4% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, with full-year growth reaching 6.7%. Notably, the Core Laboratory segment delivered standout performance, achieving an 8.0% growth rate, driven by the strong performance of its Alinity system, a core laboratory diagnostic solution. Bolstered by robust demand in infectious disease testing, Abbott’s molecular diagnostics sales rose by 4.3%.

Abbott’s global pharmaceutical sales in the fourth quarter increased by 3.6% year-over-year, with full-year growth reaching 7.0%. Notably, in 2018, Abbott’s pharmaceutical sales in emerging markets grew by 7.4%, achieving double-digit growth in China and India.

In the medical devices business segment, Abbott’s global sales in the fourth quarter increased by 9.0% year-over-year, with full-year growth of 9.1%. Driven by strong performance of its cardiac mapping and ablation catheter products, Abbott’s full-year sales in the electrophysiology field grew by nearly 20%. In addition, insertable cardiac monitors (Insertable

Sales of the ConfirmRx™ Implantable Cardiac Monitor (ICM), the world’s first and only smartphone-compatible implantable cardiac monitor that enables physicians to remotely monitor arrhythmias, also made significant strides. In the structural heart disease sector, performance achieved double-digit growth, with strong sales across multiple products, including the Amplatzer™ PFO Occluder for treating cardiac defects and the MitraClip™ for minimally invasive treatment of mitral regurgitation. Abbott’s diabetes care business saw annual sales growth approach 35%, driven significantly by the expanding market share of its revolutionary FreeStyle Libre™ flash continuous glucose monitoring system.

From the perspective of industry insiders, innovative products and technologies are not only drivers of growth but also among the best examples of Abbott’s commitment to bringing cutting-edge science to life and health. Over the past year, Abbott launched more than 30 advanced technological products, including the second-generation FreeStyle Libre system capable of providing real-time glucose monitoring alerts, the world’s smallest heart valve for neonatal treatment, and blood testing technologies that help assess the likelihood of developing heart disease—ultimately helping people live better lives at every stage.

It is worth noting that, in addition to its sustained strong performance growth, Abbott has been ranked on Fortune magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list, thanks to its leading performance in innovation, product and service quality, financial soundness, and global competitiveness. Abbott ranked first in the industry across all nine evaluation metrics, fully demonstrating the company’s robust strength and outstanding reputation.

Robust Performance: Abbott Expresses Optimism for 2019 Outlook. The company’s full-year sales growth is projected to reach 6.5% to 7.5%. Full-year adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) are expected to range between $3.15 and $3.25, with the midpoint representing a double-digit increase compared to the previous year.

Abbott Chairman and CEO Miles White stated, “2018 was another year of outstanding performance for Abbott. We achieved and exceeded the sales targets set at the beginning of the year, made significant progress across multiple business segments, and substantially strengthened the company’s financial position and strategic flexibility, laying a solid foundation for growth in 2019.”