Stock Analysis on Net

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

Enterprise Value to FCFF (EV/FCFF) 

Microsoft Excel

Free Cash Flow to The Firm (FCFF)

Abbott Laboratories, FCFF calculation

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021
Net earnings 6,524 13,402 5,723 6,933 7,071
Net noncash charges 3,845 4,373 4,013 4,167 4,233
(Increase) decrease in operating capital (803) (9,217) (2,475) (1,519) (771)
Net cash from operating activities 9,566 8,558 7,261 9,581 10,533
Interest paid, net of tax1 420 477 569 470 468
Acquisitions of property and equipment (2,171) (2,207) (2,202) (1,777) (1,885)
Free cash flow to the firm (FCFF) 7,815 6,828 5,628 8,274 9,116

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).


The financial information indicates fluctuations in both net cash from operating activities and free cash flow to the firm (FCFF) over the five-year period. A general pattern of decline followed by recovery is observable in both metrics.

Net Cash from Operating Activities
Net cash from operating activities decreased from US$10,533 million in 2021 to US$9,581 million in 2022, representing a decline of approximately 9.0%. A more substantial decrease was noted in 2023, falling to US$7,261 million. However, the trend reversed in subsequent years, with increases to US$8,558 million in 2024 and further to US$9,566 million in 2025. The 2025 value remains slightly below the 2021 level.
Free Cash Flow to the Firm (FCFF)
FCFF mirrored the trend observed in net cash from operating activities. It decreased from US$9,116 million in 2021 to US$8,274 million in 2022, a decrease of approximately 9.2%. The largest percentage decline occurred between 2022 and 2023, with FCFF falling to US$5,628 million. Similar to operating cash flow, FCFF began to recover in 2024, reaching US$6,828 million, and continued to increase to US$7,815 million in 2025. While showing improvement, the 2025 FCFF value is still below the 2021 level.

The correlation between net cash from operating activities and FCFF is strong, suggesting that changes in operating cash flow are a primary driver of changes in FCFF. The period between 2022 and 2023 experienced the most significant declines in both metrics, while 2024 and 2025 demonstrate a recovery, though not to the levels seen in 2021.

FCFF as a Percentage of Operating Cash Flow
The ratio of FCFF to net cash from operating activities remained relatively stable throughout the period, fluctuating between approximately 86% and 88%. This consistency suggests that the factors impacting the difference between these two metrics, such as capital expenditures or changes in working capital, have remained relatively consistent as a proportion of operating cash flow.

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Interest Paid, Net of Tax

Abbott Laboratories, interest paid, net of tax calculation

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021
Effective Income Tax Rate (EITR)
EITR1 22.90% 21.00% 14.10% 16.50% 13.90%
Interest Paid, Net of Tax
Interest paid, before tax 545 604 662 563 544
Less: Interest paid, tax2 125 127 93 93 76
Interest paid, net of tax 420 477 569 470 468

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).

1 See details »

2 2025 Calculation
Interest paid, tax = Interest paid × EITR
= 545 × 22.90% = 125


The analysis reveals fluctuations in interest expense, net of tax, alongside changes in the effective income tax rate over the five-year period. Interest paid, net of tax, initially exhibited a slight increase before experiencing a notable rise and subsequent decline. The effective income tax rate demonstrates an overall increasing trend, though with interim variations.

Interest Paid, Net of Tax
Interest paid, net of tax, remained relatively stable between 2021 and 2022, registering at US$468 million and US$470 million respectively. A significant increase was observed in 2023, reaching US$569 million. This was followed by a decrease to US$477 million in 2024, and a further decline to US$420 million in 2025. This pattern suggests potential shifts in debt levels, interest rate environments, or tax-related adjustments impacting the net expense.
Effective Income Tax Rate (EITR)
The effective income tax rate increased from 13.90% in 2021 to 16.50% in 2022. A slight decrease to 14.10% occurred in 2023, before rising substantially to 21.00% in 2024. The rate continued to climb, reaching 22.90% in 2025. This upward trend in the EITR could be attributed to changes in tax legislation, jurisdictional mix of earnings, or the utilization of tax credits and deductions.
Relationship between EITR and Net Interest Expense
The increase in the effective income tax rate in 2024 and 2025 coincides with a decrease in interest paid, net of tax. While not definitively causal, this suggests that changes in tax regulations or strategies may be influencing the after-tax cost of debt. The peak in net interest expense in 2023 occurred during a period of a comparatively lower EITR, indicating that the increase in interest expense was not offset by tax benefits to the same degree as in later periods.

Further investigation into the underlying factors driving these changes – including debt financing activities, interest rate fluctuations, and tax planning strategies – would be necessary to provide a more comprehensive understanding of these trends.

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Enterprise Value to FCFF Ratio, Current

Abbott Laboratories, current EV/FCFF calculation, comparison to benchmarks

Microsoft Excel
Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions)
Enterprise value (EV) 181,666
Free cash flow to the firm (FCFF) 7,815
Valuation Ratio
EV/FCFF 23.25
Benchmarks
EV/FCFF, Competitors1
Elevance Health Inc. 13.50
Intuitive Surgical Inc. 62.22
Medtronic PLC 22.31
UnitedHealth Group Inc. 15.00
EV/FCFF, Sector
Health Care Equipment & Services 20.49
EV/FCFF, Industry
Health Care 25.52

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31).

1 Click competitor name to see calculations.

If the company EV/FCFF is lower then the EV/FCFF of benchmark then company is relatively undervalued.
Otherwise, if the company EV/FCFF is higher then the EV/FCFF of benchmark then company is relatively overvalued.


Enterprise Value to FCFF Ratio, Historical

Abbott Laboratories, historical EV/FCFF calculation, comparison to benchmarks

Microsoft Excel
Dec 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021
Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions)
Enterprise value (EV)1 199,616 240,390 205,452 192,330 213,980
Free cash flow to the firm (FCFF)2 7,815 6,828 5,628 8,274 9,116
Valuation Ratio
EV/FCFF3 25.54 35.21 36.51 23.24 23.47
Benchmarks
EV/FCFF, Competitors4
Elevance Health Inc. 16.24 15.57 14.19 13.32 12.74
Intuitive Surgical Inc. 65.94 153.43 170.92 85.45 56.01
Medtronic PLC 22.40 20.58 26.54 20.32 33.84
UnitedHealth Group Inc. 16.54 20.57 17.59 19.30 22.21
EV/FCFF, Sector
Health Care Equipment & Services 22.24 25.57 22.68 20.44 23.51
EV/FCFF, Industry
Health Care 27.34 24.05 25.98 18.66 17.80

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).

1 See details »

2 See details »

3 2025 Calculation
EV/FCFF = EV ÷ FCFF
= 199,616 ÷ 7,815 = 25.54

4 Click competitor name to see calculations.


The Enterprise Value to Free Cash Flow to the Firm (EV/FCFF) ratio exhibits fluctuations over the five-year period. Initial values indicate a relatively stable ratio, followed by a significant increase, and then a return towards the initial levels.

Enterprise Value (EV)
Enterprise Value decreased from US$213,980 million in 2021 to US$192,330 million in 2022, representing a decline of approximately 10.4%. It then increased to US$205,452 million in 2023, followed by a further increase to US$240,390 million in 2024. A subsequent decrease to US$199,616 million is observed in 2025.
Free Cash Flow to the Firm (FCFF)
Free Cash Flow to the Firm decreased from US$9,116 million in 2021 to US$8,274 million in 2022, a decrease of approximately 9.2%. FCFF continued to decline to US$5,628 million in 2023, before partially recovering to US$6,828 million in 2024 and further increasing to US$7,815 million in 2025.
EV/FCFF Ratio
The EV/FCFF ratio remained relatively consistent between 2021 and 2022, at 23.47 and 23.24 respectively. A substantial increase is then observed in 2023, with the ratio reaching 36.51. This trend continues into 2024, with a ratio of 35.21. In 2025, the ratio decreases significantly to 25.54, approaching the levels seen in 2021 and 2022. The increase in the ratio from 2022 to 2024 suggests that the enterprise value grew at a faster rate than the free cash flow generated by the firm. The subsequent decrease in 2025 indicates a relative improvement in free cash flow generation compared to enterprise value.

The observed fluctuations in the EV/FCFF ratio warrant further investigation to understand the underlying drivers of these changes, including potential impacts from capital structure adjustments, operational performance, and market valuations.

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