In discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation techniques the value of the stock is estimated based upon present value of some measure of cash flow. Free cash flow to the firm (FCFF) is generally described as cash flows after direct costs and before any payments to capital suppliers.

Intrinsic Stock Value (Valuation Summary)
Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)
FCFF Growth Rate (g)

Abbott Laboratories, free cash flow to the firm (FCFF) forecast

US$ in millions, except per share data

Year	Value	FCFF_t or Terminal value (TV_t)	Calculation	Present value at 10.94%
0¹	FCFF₀	5,628
1	FCFF₁	5,887	= 5,628 × (1 + 4.62%)	5,307
2	FCFF₂	6,211	= 5,887 × (1 + 5.50%)	5,046
3	FCFF₃	6,608	= 6,211 × (1 + 6.38%)	4,839
4	FCFF₄	7,088	= 6,608 × (1 + 7.27%)	4,679
5	FCFF₅	7,666	= 7,088 × (1 + 8.15%)	4,561
5	Terminal value (TV₅)	296,840	= 7,666 × (1 + 8.15%) ÷ (10.94% – 8.15%)	176,615
Intrinsic value of Abbott Laboratories capital				201,047
Less: Debt (fair value)				14,769
Intrinsic value of Abbott Laboratories common stock				186,278

Intrinsic value of Abbott Laboratories common stock (per share)				$107.40
Current share price				$117.13

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31).

¹ See details »

Disclaimer!
Valuation is based on standard assumptions. There may exist specific factors relevant to stock value and omitted here. In such a case, the real stock value may differ significantly form the estimated. If you want to use the estimated intrinsic stock value in investment decision making process, do so at your own risk.

Abbott Laboratories, cost of capital

	Value¹	Weight	Required rate of return²	Calculation
Equity (fair value)	203,157	0.93	11.51%
Debt (fair value)	14,769	0.07	3.15%	= 3.63% × (1 – 13.14%)

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31).

¹ US$ in millions

Equity (fair value) = No. shares of common stock outstanding × Current share price
= 1,734,455,213 × $117.13
= $203,156,739,098.69

Debt (fair value). See details »

² Required rate of return on equity is estimated by using CAPM. See details »

Required rate of return on debt. See details »

Required rate of return on debt is after tax.

Estimated (average) effective income tax rate
= (14.10% + 16.50% + 13.90% + 9.50% + 11.70%) ÷ 5
= 13.14%

WACC = 10.94%

FCFF growth rate (g) implied by PRAT model

Abbott Laboratories, PRAT model

	Average	Dec 31, 2023	Dec 31, 2022	Dec 31, 2021	Dec 31, 2020	Dec 31, 2019
Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions)
Interest expense		637)	558)	533)	546)	670)
Net earnings from discontinued operations, net of taxes		—)	—)	—)	24)	—)
Net earnings		5,723)	6,933)	7,071)	4,495)	3,687)

Effective income tax rate (EITR)¹		14.10%	16.50%	13.90%	9.50%	11.70%

Interest expense, after tax²		547)	466)	459)	494)	592)
Add: Cash dividends declared on common shares		3,625)	3,365)	3,235)	2,722)	2,343)
Interest expense (after tax) and dividends		4,172)	3,831)	3,694)	3,216)	2,935)

EBIT(1 – EITR)³		6,270)	7,399)	7,530)	4,965)	4,279)

Short-term borrowings		—)	—)	—)	213)	201)
Current portion of long-term debt		1,080)	2,251)	754)	7)	1,277)
Long-term debt, excluding current portion		13,599)	14,522)	17,296)	18,527)	16,661)
Total Abbott shareholders’ investment		38,603)	36,686)	35,802)	32,784)	31,088)
Total capital		53,282)	53,459)	53,852)	51,531)	49,227)
Financial Ratios
Retention rate (RR)⁴		0.33	0.48	0.51	0.35	0.31
Return on invested capital (ROIC)⁵		11.77%	13.84%	13.98%	9.64%	8.69%
Averages
RR	0.40
ROIC	11.58%

FCFF growth rate (g)⁶	4.62%

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).

¹ See details »

2023 Calculations

² Interest expense, after tax = Interest expense × (1 – EITR)
= 637 × (1 – 14.10%)
= 547

³ EBIT(1 – EITR) = Net earnings – Net earnings from discontinued operations, net of taxes + Interest expense, after tax
= 5,723 – 0 + 547
= 6,270

⁴ RR = [EBIT(1 – EITR) – Interest expense (after tax) and dividends] ÷ EBIT(1 – EITR)
= [6,270 – 4,172] ÷ 6,270
= 0.33

⁵ ROIC = 100 × EBIT(1 – EITR) ÷ Total capital
= 100 × 6,270 ÷ 53,282
= 11.77%

⁶ g = RR × ROIC
= 0.40 × 11.58%
= 4.62%

FCFF growth rate (g) implied by single-stage model

g = 100 × (Total capital, fair value₀ × WACC – FCFF₀) ÷ (Total capital, fair value₀ + FCFF₀)
= 100 × (217,926 × 10.94% – 5,628) ÷ (217,926 + 5,628)
= 8.15%

where:

Total capital, fair value₀ = current fair value of Abbott Laboratories debt and equity (US$ in millions)
FCFF₀ = the last year Abbott Laboratories free cash flow to the firm (US$ in millions)
WACC = weighted average cost of Abbott Laboratories capital

FCFF growth rate (g) forecast

Abbott Laboratories, H-model

Year	Value	g_t
1	g₁	4.62%
2	g₂	5.50%
3	g₃	6.38%
4	g₄	7.27%
5 and thereafter	g₅	8.15%

where:
g₁ is implied by PRAT model
g₅ is implied by single-stage model
g₂, g₃ and g₄ are calculated using linear interpoltion between g₁ and g₅

Calculations

g₂ = g₁ + (g₅ – g₁) × (2 – 1) ÷ (5 – 1)
= 4.62% + (8.15% – 4.62%) × (2 – 1) ÷ (5 – 1)
= 5.50%

g₃ = g₁ + (g₅ – g₁) × (3 – 1) ÷ (5 – 1)
= 4.62% + (8.15% – 4.62%) × (3 – 1) ÷ (5 – 1)
= 6.38%

g₄ = g₁ + (g₅ – g₁) × (4 – 1) ÷ (5 – 1)
= 4.62% + (8.15% – 4.62%) × (4 – 1) ÷ (5 – 1)
= 7.27%

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

Present Value of Free Cash Flow to the Firm (FCFF)

Intrinsic Stock Value (Valuation Summary)

Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)

FCFF Growth Rate (g)

FCFF growth rate (g) implied by PRAT model

FCFF growth rate (g) implied by single-stage model

FCFF growth rate (g) forecast