Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) Upgraded by Freedom Capital to “Strong-Buy” Rating

Freedom Capital upgraded shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note published on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on JNJ. Argus upped their price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $240.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Johnson & Johnson from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $285.00 to $298.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $282.00 price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Thursday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $265.30.

Johnson & Johnson Trading Up 1.2%

JNJ opened at $252.93 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 1.03. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $239.82 and its 200-day moving average price is $234.63. Johnson & Johnson has a one year low of $162.78 and a one year high of $269.43. The stock has a market cap of $608.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.31, a P/E/G ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.24.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 15th. The company reported $2.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.06. Johnson & Johnson had a return on equity of 32.86% and a net margin of 21.48%.The company had revenue of $25.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $25.06 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.77 EPS. Johnson & Johnson’s revenue was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Johnson & Johnson has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.600-11.750 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Johnson & Johnson will post 11.68 EPS for the current year.

Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 25th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, August 25th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Johnson & Johnson’s payout ratio is currently 62.11%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Johnson & Johnson

In other news, EVP Kathryn E. Wengel sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $241.15, for a total value of $2,411,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 114,288 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $27,560,551.20. This represents a 8.05% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.16% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Johnson & Johnson

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Blueline Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Cresta Advisors Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. DecisionPoint Financial LLC boosted its position in Johnson & Johnson by 104.2% during the fourth quarter. DecisionPoint Financial LLC now owns 147 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Family CFO Inc bought a new stake in Johnson & Johnson during the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 49.0% in the fourth quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 149 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 69.55% of the company’s stock.

Johnson & Johnson News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Johnson & Johnson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Johnson & Johnson beat Q2 earnings and revenue estimates, showing solid demand and execution in its core business. J&J Stock Falls Despite Strong Q2 Beat & Higher 2026 View: Here’s Why
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised its 2026 guidance after the report, reinforcing confidence in its growth outlook and pipeline momentum. Johnson & Johnson Raises 2026 Outlook After Q2 Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Guggenheim reaffirmed its Buy rating and set a $270 price target, signaling continued analyst confidence. Benzinga article on Guggenheim rating reaffirmation
• Positive Sentiment: Some market commentary suggests the post-earnings pullback could be an opportunity to buy JNJ on strength after a run to 52-week highs. Why Johnson and Johnson’s Earnings Dip Looks Like a Buying Opportunity
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are also digesting the full Q2 earnings call transcript and several commentary pieces framing the company’s growth beyond legacy drugs and its collaboration announcements. Full Transcript: Johnson & Johnson Q2 2026 Earnings Call
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the earnings beat, the stock fell because MedTech results missed expectations, creating concern that one important division is lagging behind the company’s otherwise solid performance. J&J Stock Falls Despite Strong Q2 Beat & Higher 2026 View: Here’s Why

About Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson is a multinational healthcare company headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of products across pharmaceuticals, medical devices and previously consumer health. Founded in 1886 by the Johnson family, the company has grown into a global healthcare organization with operations and sales in many countries around the world.

The company’s pharmaceuticals business, organized largely under its Janssen research and development organization, focuses on prescription medicines across therapeutic areas such as immunology, infectious disease, oncology and neuroscience.