Abbott Laboratories Boosts Quarterly Dividend for 54th Consecutive Year
Abbott Park, Saturday, 13 December 2025.
Abbott raises its quarterly payout by 6.8 percent, extending its streak to 54 consecutive years of dividend growth and securing its elite status as a Dividend King amid market volatility.
Resilience in a Volatile Market
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) has officially declared a quarterly common dividend of 63 cents per share, representing a 6.8 percent increase from the previous payout of 59 cents [1][3]. This adjustment, which translates to a 4 cent increase per share, brings the company’s annualized dividend rate to 2.52 per share [3]. The new dividend is scheduled to be paid on February 13, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 15, 2026 [2]. This move is particularly significant against the backdrop of market volatility observed throughout 2025, signaling Abbott’s continued appeal to investors seeking stability and reliable income [1].
A Historic Commitment to Shareholders
The upcoming distribution will mark the 408th consecutive quarterly dividend paid by the healthcare giant since 1924, underscoring a century-long commitment to shareholder returns [2]. With this increase, Abbott secures its 54th consecutive year of dividend growth, maintaining its elite status as a “Dividend King”—a title reserved for companies that have raised dividends for at least 50 years in a row [1][3]. The company is also a long-standing member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks firms with a minimum of 25 consecutive years of increases [2]. The trajectory of this growth has been notably steep in recent years; the quarterly payout has risen by more than 70 percent since 2020 and has surged by 350 percent since the separation of its research-based pharmaceutical business, AbbVie, in 2013 [1].
Strategic Drivers of Financial Health
Abbott’s ability to sustain such consistent returns is underpinned by a diversified business model that saw meaningful advancements in 2025 [1]. A pivotal development was the planned acquisition of Exact Sciences, which is expected to add a new growth vertical in the $60 billion U.S. cancer screening and precision oncology diagnostics segments [1]. Additionally, the company achieved significant regulatory milestones, including the CE Mark for its Volt Pulsed Field Ablation System to treat atrial fibrillation and FDA approval for the Tendyne mitral valve replacement device [1]. These innovations are complemented by strategic investments in manufacturing, with expansions across three U.S. states aimed at creating hundreds of jobs and bolstering the company’s health technology capabilities [1].
Market Valuation and Yield
Following the announcement, Abbott’s forward dividend yield stands at approximately 2.04 percent, based on a recent trading price of $123.50 [3]. This represents an improvement from the previous yield of 1.91 percent [3]. With a market capitalization of roughly $214 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.47, the company continues to present a robust financial profile [4]. Abbott’s sustained performance, characterized by 114,000 employees serving over 160 countries, reinforces its position as a stable anchor for long-term investment portfolios [2].