Abbott Laboratories Reports Financial Results; Discloses Non‑GAAP Adjustments

What Happened

• Abbott Laboratories (ABT) filed an 8‑K on July 16, 2026 (Item 2.02) furnishing a press release (Exhibit 99.1) that announces its results of operations and financial condition. The company disclosed and used various non‑GAAP financial measures in that release, including “net earnings excluding specified items.”
• Abbott explains these non‑GAAP measures adjust for items it considers unusual or unpredictable — for example, acquisition‑related expenses, legal reserves, stock‑based compensation accelerated with an acquisition, restructuring actions, certain regulatory costs, adjustments tied to a prior non‑cash deferred tax benefit, tax benefits or expenses related to specified items and prior years, and excess tax benefits from share‑based compensation. The measures also exclude intangible amortization expense.

Key Details

• Filing date: July 16, 2026; Item reported: 2.02 (Results of Operations and Financial Condition); Exhibit 99.1 is the press release.
• Non‑GAAP metric highlighted: “net earnings excluding specified items.”
• Adjustments listed include acquisition expenses, legal reserves, accelerated stock‑based compensation, restructuring, regulatory costs, tax adjustments (including prior‑year positions and a prior non‑cash deferred tax benefit), and exclusion of intangible amortization.
• Abbott states management uses these non‑GAAP measures internally and believes they provide useful visibility into ongoing business performance, but cautions they are supplemental to GAAP measures.

Why It Matters

• For investors, Abbott’s use of non‑GAAP measures can materially change reported earnings and margins compared with GAAP results because they remove several acquisition‑, tax‑ and restructuring‑related items and intangible amortization. That can affect how you assess current performance and trend comparisons.
• The company’s disclosure makes clear what types of items are being removed and that management relies on these measures, but it also warns investors to consider non‑GAAP figures alongside GAAP financial statements and reconciliations in the press release. Review the Exhibit 99.1 press release and any GAAP reconciliation for the full numeric impact.