ABBOTT PARK - Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended Dec. 31, 2021, and issued its financial outlook for 2022.
Fourth-quarter sales of $11.5 billion increased 7.2 percent on a reported basis and 7.7 percent on an organic basis, which excludes the impact of foreign exchange.
Fourth-quarter GAAP diluted EPS was $1.11 and adjusted diluted EPS, which excludes specified items, was $1.32.
Full-year 2021 GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations was $3.94 and adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations was $5.21, reflecting 42.7% growth versus the prior year.1
Global COVID-19 testing-related sales were $2.3 billion in the fourth quarter and $7.7 billion for the full-year. Abbott has distributed more than 1.4 billion COVID-19 tests since the start of the pandemic.
Abbott issues full-year 2022 guidance for diluted EPS from continuing operations on a GAAP basis of at least $3.43 and full-year adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations of at least $4.70.
Full-year 2022 guidance includes an initial COVID-19 testing-related sales forecast of $2.5 billion, which Abbott expects to occur early in the year and will update on a quarterly basis.
Abbott's R&D pipeline continues to deliver a steady cadence of new products. Select 2021 highlights include U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services expanded reimbursement for MitraClip, U.S. launches of Amplatzer Amulet, NeuroSphere Virtual Clinic, and Portico transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) system, along with the international launch of Navitor TAVR system.
'2021 was an outstanding year for Abbott,' said Robert B. Ford, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. 'We achieved more than 40 percent EPS growth, exceeding the baseline EPS guidance we set at the beginning of last year and, importantly, continued to advance our new product pipeline across the portfolio.'
FOURTH-QUARTER BUSINESS OVERVIEW
Note: Management believes that measuring sales growth rates on an organic basis is an appropriate way for investors to best understand the underlying performance of the business. Organic sales growth excludes the impact of foreign exchange.
Worldwide Medical Devices sales increased 15.1 percent on a reported basis in the fourth quarter and increased 15.9 percent on an organic basis. Strong growth in the quarter was driven by continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and strong growth in Diabetes Care.
Compared to pre-pandemic sales in 2019, Medical Devices sales increased 17.0 percent on a reported basis and 15.8 percent on an organic basis in the fourth quarter, led by double-digit growth in Heart Failure, Structural Heart and Diabetes Care.7
In Diabetes Care, FreeStyle Libre sales were $1.0 billion in the quarter, which represents sales growth of 35.4 percent on a reported basis and 36.0 percent on an organic basis.
Abbott continued to strengthen its Medical Devices portfolio with several pipeline advancements in 2021, including: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services expanded reimbursement coverage for Abbott's revolutionary MitraClip device.
U.S. launch of NeuroSphere Virtual Clinic, a first-of-its-kind technology that allows patients to communicate with physicians and receive new treatment settings remotely as needed.
U.S. FDA approval of Amplatzer Amulet Left Atrial Appendage Occluder to treat people with atrial fibrillation who are at risk of ischemic stroke.
U.S. FDA approval of Portico with FlexNav transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) system to treat people with symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis who are at high risk for open-heart surgery.
CE Mark for Navitor, Abbott's latest-generation TAVR system.
ABBOTT'S EARNINGS-PER-SHARE GUIDANCE
Abbott projects full-year 2022 diluted earnings per share from continuing operations under GAAP of at least $3.43. Abbott forecasts specified items for the full-year 2022 of $1.27 per share primarily related to intangible amortization, restructuring and cost reduction initiatives, expenses associated with acquisitions and other net expenses. Excluding specified items, projected adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations would be at least $4.70 for the full-year 2022.
Abbott projects first-quarter 2022 diluted earnings per share from continuing operations under GAAP of at least $1.20. Abbott forecasts specified items for the first-quarter 2022 of $0.30 per share primarily related to intangible amortization, restructuring and cost reduction initiatives, expenses associated with acquisitions and other net expenses. Excluding specified items, projected adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations would be at least $1.50 for the first quarter.
ABBOTT DECLARES 392ND CONSECUTIVE QUARTERLY DIVIDEND
On Dec. 10, 2021, the board of directors of Abbott declared the company's quarterly dividend of $0.47 per share. Abbott's cash dividend is payable Feb. 15, 2022 to shareholders of record at the close of business on Jan. 14, 2022.
Abbott has increased its dividend payout for 50 consecutive years and is a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks companies that have annually increased their dividend for at least 25 consecutive years.
About Abbott
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 113,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.
Abbott will live-webcast its fourth-quarter earnings conference call through its Investor Relations website at www.abbottinvestor.com at 8 a.m. Central time today. An archived edition of the webcast will be available later that day.
A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Some statements in this news release may be forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Abbott cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Abbott's operations are discussed in Item 1A, 'Risk Factors' in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2020, and are incorporated herein by reference. Abbott undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.
Contact:
Scott Stoffel
Tel: 224-668-5201
ABBOTT LABORATORIES 
