Compare StocksABBV vs VLTO

AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) vs Veralto Corporation (VLTO): Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?

As of 2026-08-03, ABBV is overvalued at $247, with a DCF intrinsic value of $178 and a margin of safety of -38%. VLTO is overvalued at $94, with an intrinsic value of $82 and a margin of safety of -15%. Of the two, VLTO has the wider margin of safety.

ABBV
AbbVie Inc.
$246.84
VS
VLTO
Veralto Corporation
$94.36

Rewards

ABBV
  • AbbVie Inc. has maintained ROIC above 10% for 4 consecutive years, suggesting solid business economics.
  • Gross margin of 72.8% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • AbbVie Inc. scores 82/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with reinvestment efficiency as the strongest competitive dimension.
VLTO
  • Veralto Corporation has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
  • Gross margin of 60.2% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • Veralto Corporation scores 92/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with margin stability as the strongest competitive dimension.

Risks

ABBV
  • Buybacks have been poorly timed — 3 out of 4 years involved repurchases at relatively expensive valuations.
  • Free cash flow has declined at a 9.8% CAGR over the past 4 years — a concerning trend.
VLTO
  • Each dollar of retained earnings has produced only $0.25 of earning power — shareholders may have been better served by dividends.
  • PEG ratio of 2.43 indicates the stock is expensive relative to its expected growth — the market may be pricing in more growth than analysts project.

Key Valuation Metrics

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ABBV
VLTO
Valuation
N/A
Free Cash Flow
$807.12M
N/A
FCF Yield
3.51%
69.73
Trailing P/E
23.77
15.16
Forward P/E
19.83
Quality & Moat
27.60%
ROIC
14.37%
N/A
ROE
34.31%
72.79%
Gross Margin
60.18%
0.41
PEG Ratio
2.43
Balance Sheet Safety
N/A
Net Debt / Equity
0.48
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
2.06
Net Debt / EBITDA
1.06
2.76%
Dividend Yield
0.55%
ABBV: 5Ties: 1VLTO: 2
ABBVVLTO

Historical Fundamentals

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ABBV

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

VLTO

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

$1 Retained Earnings Test

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ABBV
N/A
Net losses over 3 years — test not applicable
Company had negative cumulative retained earnings
Σ Retained
$-19.85B
Δ Market Cap
+$118.02B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
VLTO
$2.87
created per $1 retained over 2 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$1.57B
Δ Market Cap
+$4.52B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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ABBV
38.4% Overvalued
Price is 38.4% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $246.84
Fair Value: $178.31
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
VLTO
15.0% Overvalued
Price is 15.0% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $94.36
Fair Value: $82.03
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued

Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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ABBV

Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.

VLTO

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $94?

+11.1%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +13.4%

The market implies +11.1% Owner Earnings growth, above historical trends.

Standard FCF implies a demanding +13.4%, reflecting heavy growth investment.

Economic Moat Score

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ABBV
82/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. Reinvestment Efficiency is the standout factor.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
VLTO
92/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. Margin Stability is the standout factor.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.

Forensic Accounting

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ABBV
-2.86
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
VLTO
-2.47
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Ownership Breakdown

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ABBV
Insiders 0.1%Institutions 76.9%Retail & Other 23.0%
No. of Institutional Holders5,146
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
VLTO
Insiders 0.2%Institutions 99.8%Retail & Other 0.0%
No. of Institutional Holders1,482
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insider Buying Activity

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ABBV
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
VLTO
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

Insider Selling Activity

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ABBV
0
Sells (3M)
5
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $21.79M
PURDUE DAVID RYAN
Officer
$1.22M
@ $233.56 · 2026-03-04
SIATIS PERRY C.
General Counsel
$4.38M
@ $234.39 · 2026-03-02
SIATIS PERRY C.
General Counsel
$5.15M
@ $230.00 · 2026-02-25
SALEKI-GERHARDT AZITA
Chief Operating Officer
$8.41M
@ $198.42 · 2025-08-12
DONOGHOE NICHOLAS
Officer
$2.64M
@ $198.51 · 2025-08-05
STEWART JEFFREY RYAN
Officer
$12.36M
@ $210.08 · 2025-03-31
REENTS SCOTT T.
Chief Financial Officer
$3.75M
@ $212.34 · 2025-03-14
SIATIS PERRY C.
General Counsel
$5.82M
@ $208.69 · 2025-03-03
GONZALEZ RICHARD A
Director
$20.26M
@ $205.45 · 2025-03-03
RICHMOND TIMOTHY J
Officer
$4.47M
@ $210.45 · 2025-03-03
BUCKBEE KEVIN K
Officer
$3.85M
@ $203.41 · 2025-02-26
RICHMOND TIMOTHY J
Officer
$6.07M
@ $202.90 · 2025-02-26
SIATIS PERRY C.
General Counsel
$1.14M
@ $197.90 · 2025-02-20
BUCKBEE KEVIN K
Officer
$310,032
@ $172.24 · 2024-12-16
GONZALEZ RICHARD A
Officer and Director
$12.40M
@ $186.52 · 2024-08-05
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
VLTO
1
Sells (3M)
5
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $3.37M
HONEYCUTT JENNIFER
Chief Executive Officer
$674,215
@ $95.00 · 2026-07-17
SKEETE BERNARD M
Officer
$26,463
@ $88.21 · 2026-05-01
KAPITY MELISSA
Officer
$1.43M
@ $96.60 · 2026-02-27
BYSTROM MATTIAS
Officer
$101,730
@ $101.73 · 2025-12-01
HONEYCUTT JENNIFER
Chief Executive Officer
$1.13M
@ $106.26 · 2025-08-29
TRIVEDI SUREKHA
Officer
$85,266
@ $100.55 · 2025-06-02
BENETEAU LESLEY
Officer
$46,185
@ $100.84 · 2025-05-15
BYSTROM MATTIAS
Officer
$249,906
@ $99.96 · 2025-05-12
SKEETE BERNARD M
Officer
$42,480
@ $94.40 · 2025-05-01
KAPITY MELISSA
Officer
$2.97M
@ $93.67 · 2025-05-01
TRIVEDI SUREKHA
Officer
$56,959
@ $96.54 · 2025-05-01
HONEYCUTT JENNIFER
Chief Executive Officer
$989,710
@ $95.00 · 2025-04-30
TRIVEDI SUREKHA
Officer
$57,260
@ $97.05 · 2025-04-01
HONEYCUTT JENNIFER
Chief Executive Officer
$1.03M
@ $98.56 · 2025-03-24
HONEYCUTT JENNIFER
Chief Executive Officer
$1.05M
@ $100.35 · 2025-02-25
TRIVEDI SUREKHA
Officer
$59,206
@ $100.35 · 2025-02-25
KAPITY MELISSA
Officer
$46,115
@ $99.60 · 2025-02-11
SKEETE BERNARD M
Officer
$21,756
@ $108.78 · 2024-11-26
TRIVEDI SUREKHA
Officer
$77,388
@ $102.91 · 2024-11-01
TRIVEDI SUREKHA
Officer
$84,750
@ $112.55 · 2024-10-01
HONEYCUTT JENNIFER
Chief Executive Officer
$1.45M
@ $110.15 · 2024-09-30
TRIVEDI SUREKHA
Officer
$83,658
@ $111.10 · 2024-09-03
HONEYCUTT JENNIFER
Chief Executive Officer
$1.48M
@ $111.98 · 2024-08-30
TRIVEDI SUREKHA
Officer
$813,890
@ $110.00 · 2024-08-21
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

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ABBV
FearGreed
😐Neutral(59/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
VLTO
FearGreed
😐Neutral(53/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

⚖️ Buffett Signal

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ABBV
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (59)
VLTO
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (53)
View ABBV Full AnalysisView VLTO Full Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions: ABBV vs VLTO

Is AbbVie Inc. or Veralto Corporation more undervalued in 2026?

Based on our discounted cash flow model, VLTO trades at a -15.0% margin of safety (intrinsic value $82 vs. price $94), compared to ABBV's -38.4% margin of safety (intrinsic $178 vs. $247).

Which stock has a wider economic moat, AbbVie Inc. or Veralto Corporation?

VLTO scores 92/100 (Wide moat), while ABBV scores 82/100 (Wide moat). The moat score measures competitive advantage durability across ROIC consistency, margin stability, revenue predictability, and reinvestment efficiency.

Is AbbVie Inc. in financial distress?

ABBV's Altman Z-Score of 2.4 places it in the Grey zone, signaling elevated bankruptcy risk. VLTO scores 5.0 (Safe zone). The Altman Z-Score is a five-factor model that predicts insolvency within two years; scores below 1.81 indicate significant distress.

Which stock has higher return on invested capital, AbbVie Inc. or Veralto Corporation?

ABBV earns 27.6% ROIC versus VLTO's 14.4%. A higher ROIC means the company generates more profit per dollar of capital employed, a hallmark of durable competitive advantage in Buffett-style analysis.

Which dividend is safer, AbbVie Inc.'s or Veralto Corporation's?

VLTO's dividend earns a safety score of 88/100 (Very Safe), compared to ABBV's 39/100 (Unsafe). VLTO has raised its dividend for 1 consecutive years.