Stocks analysis

ABT vs AFL Stock Comparison

Scores Breakdown

Metric ABT AFL
📈 Growth 22/30 6/30
💰 Profitability 17/20 10/20
🏦 Financial Health 15/20 18/20
💵 Valuation 12/20 14/20
⚠️ Risk (lower is better) 4/10 6/10
Overall Score 72/100 52/100

Side-by-Side Summaries

ABT Analysis AFL Analysis

📈 Growth & Financial Trajectory

Over the 8-quarter window, Revenue gravitated around $9.96B to $11.16B, ending at $11.16B in 2026 Q1, a start-to-end rise of about $1.2B (~12%). Net income remained positive through most quarters, with modest-to-strong fluctuations; several quarters show mid-single-digit billions in income, with notable variability from one-off items (e.g., tax effects).

💰 Margins & Cash Flow

Gross Margin was solid, around 56% on average (Gross Profit ~6.3B vs Revenues ~11.2B in 2026 Q1). Operating margin ranged roughly from 12% to 18%, peaking in 2025 Q2. Net cash flow from operating activities was consistently positive (e.g., 2026 Q1: $1.315B; prior quarters in the 1.4–2.9B range), while investing activities were typically cash outflows and financing modest.

🛡️ Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Total assets approximate $72B–$110B over the period with equity in the low-to-mid $50B range. The company shows a healthy current ratio (1.3–1.5) and modest long-term debt ($14–19B), supporting liquidity and balance sheet resilience.

⚠️ Key Drivers & Risks

  • Drivers: (1) Pharma/medical devices demand; (2) diversified product mix and recurring revenue from Rx/OTC portfolios.
  • Risks: (1) Regulatory/tax volatility and pricing pressure; (2) macro-cycle sensitivity and currency exposure.

📈 Growth & Financial Trajectory

The eight quarterly results show a mixed growth path. Start: revenues of $5.138B in 2024 Q2 and end: $4.346B in 2026 Q1, a decline of about 15%. Net income moved from $1.755B in 2024 Q2 to $1.019B in 2026 Q1, down roughly 42%. Notable quarter-to-quarter swings include a robust Q4 2024 and steady early-2025 quarters, but the overall trend is inconsistent, with revenue occasionally bouncing on seasonal/one-offs while earnings remain volatile. Operating income remained strong in several periods (around $3.0–$3.4B on mid-single to low-double-digit revenue), suggesting earnings power when volume picks up, but not a clear, sustained growth trajectory.

💰 Margins & Cash Flow

Margins vary meaningfully by quarter; reported operating income margins range widely, reflecting unusual items and mix. Net cash from operating activities was solid in several quarters (e.g., $589M in 2025 Q1 and $968M in 2026 Q1) but softer in others (e.g., $315M in 2025 Q4). Investing and financing activities can create negative free cash flow in some periods, yielding an uneven cash flow signal despite positive operating cash in many quarters.

🛡️ Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Assets typically sit around $116–$122B, with Liabilities in the $86–$93B range and Equity near $26–$30B, indicating reasonable leverage and strong liquidity. The structure supports resilience across varying earnings seasons, though reported items occasionally show anomalies in current liabilities.

⚠️ Key Drivers & Risks

  • Drivers: Interest-rate environment; demand for life/health insurance and annuities.
  • Risks: Earnings volatility from taxes and one-offs; potential margin compression and inconsistent free cash flow.