2,187 AbbVie Inc. $ABBV Shares Sold by First Merchants Corp

First Merchants Corp cut its position in shares of AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) by 3.7% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 56,946 shares of the company’s stock after selling 2,187 shares during the quarter. First Merchants Corp’s holdings in AbbVie were worth $14,897,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of AbbVie by 1.7% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 82,596,748 shares of the company’s stock worth $20,784,646,000 after acquiring an additional 1,379,232 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LP purchased a new stake in shares of AbbVie during the 2nd quarter worth about $559,736,000. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its stake in shares of AbbVie by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 14,267,697 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,590,323,000 after acquiring an additional 106,091 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in shares of AbbVie during the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,905,952,000. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG grew its position in shares of AbbVie by 13.0% during the 2nd quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 10,772,949 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,710,905,000 after acquiring an additional 1,241,587 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.23% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. HSBC lifted their price target on AbbVie from $300.00 to $315.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on AbbVie from $296.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price target on AbbVie from $284.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Argus raised their price objective on AbbVie from $250.00 to $270.00 in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on AbbVie from $295.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, August 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $277.18.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Nicholas Donoghoe sold 32,710 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $8,177,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 74,430 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $18,607,500. This represents a 30.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.06% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Key AbbVie News

Here are the key news stories impacting AbbVie this week:

• Positive Sentiment: New Phase 3 data for a subcutaneous version of SKYRIZI showed meaningful clinical and endoscopic benefits in adults with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease. The results could support regulatory review of a more convenient induction option and strengthen confidence that SKYRIZI can help offset the loss of Humira revenue. Abbvie’s Crohn’s Disease Drug Skyrizi Shows More Positive Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains constructive. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an Outperform rating, while Erste Group raised its 2027 EPS estimate to $16.34 from $16.19 and maintained a Buy rating. These views reinforce the argument that AbbVie’s newer drugs are driving sustainable post-Humira growth. Royal Bank Of Canada Reaffirms Outperform Rating for AbbVie
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are also watching early clinical work on oral candidate ABBV-1042. The study remains at an early stage and is being conducted in healthy participants, but positive progress could add value to AbbVie’s long-term pipeline. AbbVie’s ABBV-1042 Trial Update
• Neutral Sentiment: AbbVie’s third-quarter earnings report is scheduled for October 30. Investors will be looking for confirmation that SKYRIZI and RINVOQ growth is more than compensating for Humira’s decline; the company’s current guidance calls for third-quarter EPS of $3.84 to $3.88. AbbVie’s Q3 2026 Earnings: What to Expect
• Neutral Sentiment: Heavy call-option activity and a broad healthcare-sector rally indicate increased investor interest, but options positioning is not a fundamental catalyst by itself. Lower Treasury yields may also be supporting defensive healthcare shares.
• Negative Sentiment: Some investors remain concerned that AbbVie’s valuation is demanding after its rally. Comparisons with Sanofi have highlighted Sanofi’s stronger outlook and valuation, potentially limiting further upside. Which Pharma Stock Looks More Attractive: Sanofi or AbbVie?

AbbVie Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:ABBV opened at $283.07 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $261.95 and its 200-day moving average price is $238.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $500.13 billion, a PE ratio of 79.96, a P/E/G ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 0.24. AbbVie Inc. has a 1 year low of $190.75 and a 1 year high of $291.40.

AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The company reported $3.65 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.61 by $0.04. AbbVie had a negative return on equity of 422.07% and a net margin of 9.80%. The firm had revenue of $16.99 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.80 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.97 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. AbbVie has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.840-3.880 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that AbbVie Inc. will post 13.94 earnings per share for the current year.

AbbVie Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 16th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, October 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.73 per share. This represents a $6.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 15th. AbbVie’s payout ratio is 195.48%.

About AbbVie

AbbVie Inc is a global biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets medicines for a range of serious and chronic health conditions. Its portfolio spans immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, aesthetics, gastroenterology and women’s health.

The company’s products include the immunology medicines Skyrizi and Rinvoq; neuroscience treatments such as Vraylar, Ubrelvy and Qulipta; and oncology medicines including Imbruvica and Venclexta. AbbVie also markets Botox Cosmetic and Botox Therapeutic, as well as other products for aesthetics, eye care and specialty care.

AbbVie was established in 2013 as an independent, publicly traded company following its separation from Abbott Laboratories.