In a holiday-shortened week, shares of AbbVie Inc. NYSE: ABBV are down a bit greater than 3%. To place that in context, the drop in ABBV inventory was greater than that of biotech shares similar to Johnson & Johnson NYSE: JNJ, which is down 0.68%, and Pfizer Inc. NYSE: PFE, which is down 1.38%.  

Nonetheless, each JNJ and PFE had been already down for the 12 months. In contrast, ABBV inventory is up about 7%. That is nicely above the sector ETF, which is flat for the 12 months and barely outpacing the S&P 500, up about 4%.  

With none apparent information, the query is, why? Shares of the iShares Biotechnology ETF NASDAQ: IBB have been down almost 2% within the final 5 days, so this can be a case of some sector rotation. However with AbbVie on the brink of report earnings on July 25, it is a good time to examine in on the inventory and see what traders must be watching now. 

AbbVie Welcomes a New CEO 

Some will level to the change that was made in the C-suite. On July 1, Robert A. Michael assumed the function of chief govt officer. Michael succeeds Richard A. Gonzalez, who had held the function since 2013, when AbbVie spun off from Abbott Laboratories NYSE: ABT. 

Nonetheless, this was a deliberate change, in order that appears an unlikely purpose for traders to waver on ABBV inventory. Proper now, this seems like a inventory getting caught up in a slight sell-off within the total biotech market.  

AbbVie Buyers Shrug Off Humira Issues

Standard knowledge means that AbbVie is having a prove-it second. The corporate now faces generic equivalents to its blockbuster drug Humira in america and Europe. Nonetheless, the corporate is optimistic that gross sales of medicine similar to Skyrizi and Rinvoq will greater than make up for any decline in income from Humira.  

The corporate additionally has Vraylar, a drug that has indications for main depressive and bipolar 1 problems, which generated almost $700 million in the first quarter. Analysts are additionally bullish on Elahere, which is now a part of the AbbVie portfolio after its $10 billion acquisition of ImmunoGen in 2023. That drug may prime $2 billion in gross sales by 2030.  

That story will play out over a number of quarters. It hasn’t had a lot influence on AbbVie inventory, which is up 22.8% within the final 12 months. That is on par with the S&P 500 index and nicely forward of the iShares Biotechnology ETF, which is up simply 7% in that point. Once you issue within the firm’s dividend, the whole return for ABBV inventory within the final 12 months is over 30%, which makes it among the finest medical shares to personal.

Piper Sandler Simply Confirmed its ABBV Value Goal 

For those who’re on the lookout for one other bullish affirmation, on July 3, analysts from Piper Sandler reiterated their Obese ranking on ABBV inventory in addition to the agency’s value goal of $190.  

That is a few 15% improve within the share value. Buyers accustomed to the inventory producing a median complete return of over 35% within the final 5 years might imagine the inventory is wanting overbought with the addition of extra debt on its stability sheet.  

Which will hold merchants at bay, however with the inventory buying and selling at simply 14.8x ahead earnings and a dividend that has grown for 52 consecutive years, ABBV inventory nonetheless seems like a strong inventory for value-oriented traders.  

Earlier than you contemplate AbbVie, you may need to hear this.

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