Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) gave the market what it wanted in its Q2 earnings report, affirming that the Exact Sciences acquisition was a good one. The critical takeaways are that comp growth is solid, the Exact Sciences business has traction, and the near-term margin impairment the acquisition brought is less than expected.
Looking forward, profitability metrics have improved, leading to improved guidance, strengthened market sentiment, and a robust rebound in the share price.
