AbbVie’s new drugs will spur your dividend

Article Excerpt

Sales of drug maker AbbVie’s main product, Humira, have suffered lately due to competition from generic versions. However, recent acquisitions have strengthened the pharmaceutical giant’s development portfolio; that bodes well for more dividend increases. ABBVIE INC. $176 is a buy. The company (New York symbol ABBV; High-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 1.8 billion; Market cap: $316.8 billion; Dividend yield: 3.5%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.abbvie.com) makes biopharmaceuticals, with leading positions in immunology, oncology, aesthetics, neuroscience and eye care. AbbVie took its current form on January 3, 2013, when Abbott Laboratories (New York symbol ABT) split into two publicly traded firms. The company last raised your quarterly dividend with the February 2024 payment. Investors now receive $1.55 a share, up 4.7% from $1.48. The new annual rate of $6.20 yields a high 3.5%. Since the spinoff, AbbVie has depended heavily on its Humira drug to drive sales and earnings growth. As a treatment for various autoimmune disorders, blockbuster Humira is routinely prescribed by physicians to…