Abbott Laboratories Completes $23 Billion Acquisition of Exact Sciences

ABBOTT PARK, Ill. — Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) has officially completed its $23 billion acquisition of Madison-based Exact Sciences, the maker of the Cologuard cancer screening test. The transaction, which closed on Monday, March 23, 2026, marks a significant expansion for Abbott in the cancer diagnostics market. The deal’s completion was confirmed across Abbott Mediaroom, PR Newswire, Milwaukee Business Journal, Yahoo Finance, Modern Healthcare, and MedTech Dive.

Each of the bullet points immediately below have been confirmed by at least four of the six respected sources we curated on this story.

• Abbott expects the acquisition to add approximately $3 billion in incremental sales in 2026.
• Exact Sciences, known for its non-invasive Cologuard test, will become a subsidiary of Abbott, bringing its oncology diagnostics portfolio under the healthcare giant’s umbrella.
• The deal was finalized following regulatory approval and is expected to push Abbott’s total diagnostic sales above $12 billion annually.
• The $23 billion transaction includes Exact Sciences’ $1.8 billion in debt, with an equity value of approximately $21 billion.
• Abbott paid $105 per share in cash for Exact Sciences, representing a significant premium over the company’s pre-announcement trading price.
• Exact Sciences’ headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, will continue to play a strategic role as the company integrates into Abbott’s global operations.

Additional Details Reported

Abbott announced the closing date on March 20, confirming the finalization of the deal for March 23. The acquisition is part of Abbott’s broader strategy to refocus growth on cancer diagnostics and early detection technologies. The company expects the deal to be slightly dilutive to earnings in 2026 and 2027 before returning to double-digit growth.

Milwaukee Business Journal noted that Exact Sciences’ headquarters in Madison will continue to play a role as the company integrates into Abbott’s global operations. Wisconsin’s biotech sector stands to benefit from the combined company’s expanded research and development presence.

Yahoo Finance reported that the move consolidates Abbott’s position as a leader in the diagnostics space, leveraging Exact Sciences’ screening platform to expand into broader oncology markets. The Cologuard test has become a standard for non-invasive colorectal cancer screening, competing directly with traditional colonoscopy methods.

Modern Healthcare highlighted that this acquisition marks Abbott’s largest deal in nearly a decade and its second-biggest ever, signaling a major strategic pivot toward cancer diagnostics. MedTech Dive emphasized that the transaction positions Abbott to enter and lead the fast-growing cancer screening and diagnostics segments, serving millions of additional patients worldwide.

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