ABT · 10-Q · 2026Q3 · Full report

Operating Cash Flow and Capex

ABBOTT LABORATORIES · 2026-11-04 · Importance 48 · Surprise 40 · From source text

Net cash from operating activities totaled $5.5 billion in the first nine months of 2026, approximately $700 million below the prior-year period. The decline primarily reflected legal-settlement payments, higher inventory, and cash payments for equity awards associated with the Exact Sciences acquisition, partly offset by lower pension contributions and cash taxes. Operating cash flow included $1.3 billion of cash taxes in 2026, compared with $1.5 billion in 2025. Abbott also cited capital expenditures among the uses of cash during the period, but the filing section provides no capex amount.

Key facts

• Abbott’s net cash from operating activities was $5.540 billion for the first nine months of 2026, compared with $6.251 billion for the first nine months of 2025. source
• Abbott generated $5.5 billion of operating cash in the first nine months of 2026, approximately $700 million less than the prior year. source
• Abbott paid $1.3 billion of cash taxes in the first nine months of 2026; first-nine-month 2025 operating cash flow included $256 million of pension contributions and $1.5 billion of cash tax payments. source
• Abbott spent $1.409 billion on property and equipment acquisitions in the first nine months of 2026, compared with $1.482 billion in the same period of 2025. source
• Operating cash flow decreased in the first nine months of 2026 primarily due to legal settlement payments, higher inventory, and cash payments for equity-award settlements related to Exact Sciences, partly offset by lower pension contributions and cash taxes. source

Impact estimates