Abbott Q3 2026 results showed net sales of $13.0 billion, up 14.5% as reported and 7.0% on a comparable basis, according to the company’s filing, while the company cut its 2026 comparable sales growth outlook to about 6% and announced plans to spin off its nutrition business by the end of 2027. Adjusted earnings per share were $1.42, up 9.2%, but earnings under US accounting rules fell to $0.53 because of legal settlements and acquisition-related charges. This guide walks through the numbers segment by segment, explains the gap between reported and comparable growth and between adjusted and GAAP earnings, and flags what the filing does not say. It is general information and not investment advice.
Abbott Q3 2026 results: key takeaways
- Net sales were $13.0 billion: up 14.5% reported and 7.0% comparable, with the large reported gain largely reflecting the Exact Sciences acquisition completed on 23 March 2026.
- Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.42, up 9.2%; GAAP diluted EPS was $0.53, down from $0.94.
- Medical devices were the largest segment at $5.8 billion, up 7.8% comparable; nutrition was $2.3 billion, up 4.9%.
- Full-year comparable sales growth is now expected at about 6.0%; adjusted EPS guidance is $5.50 to $5.55.
- Abbott said it intends to separate its nutrition business by the end of 2027.
Reported versus comparable growth in the Abbott Q3 2026 results
General background: reported growth includes everything that happened, including acquisitions and currency swings. Comparable growth strips out some of those effects, so it better reflects the underlying business. According to Abbott’s third-quarter results filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, comparable growth excludes foreign exchange, the prior-year contribution of Exact Sciences and a compensation payment from a competitor in structural heart that was recognised in the first quarter. That is why diagnostics, up 46.7% as reported, grew 6.4% comparable.
Abbott Q3 2026 results segment by segment
The filing reports comparable growth of 4.9% for nutrition on sales of $2.262 billion, 6.4% for diagnostics on $3.305 billion, 8.4% for established pharmaceuticals on $1.614 billion and 7.8% for medical devices on $5.826 billion. By our calculation nutrition is about 17% of the quarter’s sales and medical devices about 45%. Established pharmaceuticals growth was led by key emerging markets, up 10.9% comparable, with India named among the drivers.
Inside medical devices in the Abbott Q3 2026 results
Electrophysiology grew 15.5% comparable and rhythm management 10.0%, both described as double-digit. Diabetes care grew 6.7%, with continuous glucose monitor sales up 7.7%. Heart failure grew 6.0%, vascular 5.7% and structural heart 6.9% comparable, while neuromodulation declined 1.1%. The filing does not identify any line as the reason for the lower full-year outlook, so we do not assign one.
Diagnostics and nutrition details
Core laboratory grew 5.4% and cancer diagnostics 13.8% comparable, driven by Cologuard, while rapid and molecular diagnostics were nearly flat at 0.9%. In nutrition, pediatric sales rose 8.8% as reported and adult sales 2.0%. A third-party analysis says nutrition comparable sales fell 2.1% in the first nine months and that US sales fell 4.5%; we have not verified those figures.
Adjusted versus GAAP earnings in the Abbott Q3 2026 results
Adjusted EPS of $1.42 excludes items such as amortisation of acquired intangibles, about $841 million in the quarter, and legal settlements of roughly $670 million, as well as acquisition and restructuring costs. GAAP EPS of $0.53 includes them. Both measures are reported by the company, and readers weighing performance usually look at both, since one-off items can recur. Abbott did not give GAAP guidance, citing the difficulty of predicting such items.
The outlook change in the Abbott Q3 2026 results
Abbott now expects 2026 comparable sales growth of about 6.0%, against a prior range of 6.5% to 7.5%. The midpoint of the old range was 7.0%, so by our calculation the new figure is about one point lower. The narrowed EPS range of $5.50 to $5.55 keeps the previous midpoint, according to market coverage. A fourth-quarter adjusted EPS range of $1.62 to $1.67 was also given. The filing attributes the quarter to balanced growth and gives no single cause for the cut.
The spin-off alongside the quarter
In Abbott’s announcement of 21 October 2026, Abbott said it intends to separate the nutrition business into an independent public company by the end of 2027, with about $8.5 billion in annual sales. The separation is subject to regulatory approvals, a Form 10 registration statement and final board approval, and Abbott says it will not affect 2026 guidance. Nutrition is therefore still inside the quarter’s numbers. Abbott expects to give 2027 guidance in January.
What the Abbott Q3 2026 results filing does not say
- A specific reason for the lower full-year sales outlook.
- The size of one-time costs for the separation.
- How legal liabilities will be divided after the nutrition company is formed.
- Sales or profit forecasts for 2027.
Risks and caveats on the Abbott Q3 2026 results
- Comparable growth and adjusted EPS are company-defined measures.
- Third-party figures quoted here are unverified.
- Guidance can change again, and Abbott has lowered its outlook before this year, according to one analysis.
- This is news reporting, not investment advice.
In our assessment, the Abbott Q3 2026 results show a diversified business growing at a healthy pace with strong electrophysiology and diagnostics, while the lower outlook and the legal charges explain the market’s caution. See also Abbott Gets FDA Approval for CardioMEMS HF System Upgrade With CardioGuide HF App. More in our healthcare services coverage.
What to watch next after the Abbott Q3 2026 results
- Abbott’s 2027 guidance in January, available through Abbott.
- The Form 10 for the nutrition company.
- Neuromodulation and structural heart trends in the next quarter.
Frequently asked questions
What were Abbott’s Q3 2026 sales?
$13.0 billion, up 14.5% reported and 7.0% comparable, according to the company.
What is Abbott’s 2026 outlook now?
About 6.0% comparable sales growth and adjusted EPS of $5.50 to $5.55.
Why is GAAP EPS so much lower than adjusted EPS?
Because GAAP includes amortisation, legal settlements and other charges that the adjusted figure excludes.
How we reported this: we relied on Abbott’s results filing and announcement, market coverage of 21 October 2026 and third-party analysis, which are labelled. Our calculations are labelled. Last updated: 23 October 2026. This article is news reporting and education and not investment advice.
