- Worldwide Sales Increased 17.6 Percent -
- Adjusted EPS Growth of 17.9 Percent (GAAP EPS up 50.0 Percent) -
- Company Raises Earnings-Per-Share Outlook for 2008 -
- Double-Digit Sales Growth Reported in Each Major Global Business -
- XIENCE V(TM) U.S. Launch Exceeding Expectations -

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2008.

     *    Diluted earnings per share, excluding specified items, were $0.79,
          above Abbott's previously announced guidance range of $0.76 - $0.78,
          reflecting 17.9 percent growth. Diluted earnings per share under
          Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) were $0.69, up 50.0
          percent.

     *    Today, Abbott is raising its guidance for full-year 2008 adjusted
          earnings per share to $3.31 - $3.33 from $3.24 - $3.28, excluding
          specified items. Projected earnings per share under GAAP is
          $3.23 - $3.25.

     *    Worldwide sales increased 17.6 percent to $7.5 billion, including a
          favorable 4.7 percent effect of exchange rates.

     *    Worldwide pharmaceutical sales increased 16.7 percent driven by
          double-digit growth in HUMIRA®, TriCor®, Niaspan® and
          Kaletra®.  Global HUMIRA sales exceeded $1.2 billion; Abbott now
          expects full-year 2008 global HUMIRA sales of more than
          $4.4 billion.

     *    Worldwide medical products sales increased 25.2 percent, driven by
          15.3 percent growth in global diagnostics sales, and 57.9 percent
          growth in global vascular sales following the U.S. approval and
          successful launch of XIENCE V during the quarter. Drug-eluting stent
          (DES) franchise sales were $305 million.

     *    Worldwide nutritional products sales increased 14.5 percent led by
          22.2 percent growth in international nutritionals, with continued
          strength in emerging markets.

     *    The Abbott board of directors has recently approved a new $5 billion
          share repurchase program. Last year, Abbott returned more than $3
          billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchase, and
          is on track to exceed this level in 2008.

"All of Abbott's businesses are performing exceptionally well, ahead of expectations," said Miles D. White, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. "Abbott remains well-positioned, with strong core growth franchises, including our emerging vascular business, which is rapidly becoming a significant contributor to Abbott's growth."

Abbott raises guidance for full-year earnings per share

Based on the company's continued strong results year-to-date, and the outlook for the remainder of the year, Abbott is raising its earnings-per- share forecast for the full-year 2008 to $3.31 - $3.33 from $3.24 - $3.28, excluding specified items. Abbott's original guidance range for 2008, provided in January, was $3.20 - $3.25.

Abbott continues to forecast net specified items for the full-year 2008 of $0.08 per share, primarily associated with cost reduction initiatives and acquired in-process R&D, offset by favorable items including the gain related to the conclusion of the TAP joint venture, a favorable settlement of a prior year's tax audit, the gain on the sales of equity investments, and the gain on sale of Abbott's spine business, which is forecast to occur in the fourth quarter. Including these specified items, projected earnings per share under GAAP would be $3.23 - $3.25 for the full-year 2008.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 68,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

For more information, visit http://www.abbottinvestor.com