Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC Sells 3,870 Shares of Johnson & Johnson $JNJ

Key Points

• Azimuth Capital Investment Management reduced its Johnson & Johnson position by 4.4%, selling 3,870 shares and retaining 84,238 shares valued at approximately $21.4 million. Institutional investors collectively own 69.55% of J&J.
• J&J reported quarterly EPS and revenue above expectations, with revenue rising 6.6% year over year. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.34 per share, representing a 2.0% yield.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive view, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $274.13. However, the stock trades near its 12-month high at a P/E of about 31, while recent insider selling and valuation concerns could limit further upside.

Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ - Free Report) by 4.4% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 84,238 shares of the company's stock after selling 3,870 shares during the period. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC's holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $21,394,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in JNJ. State Street Corp raised its position in Johnson & Johnson by 1.3% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 133,869,843 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,704,364,000 after purchasing an additional 1,663,782 shares in the last quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co increased its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 22,225.6% in the 4th quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 69,419,308 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,436,633,000 after purchasing an additional 69,108,368 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 3.1% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 57,953,747 shares of the company's stock worth $11,967,947,000 after buying an additional 1,738,292 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the 4th quarter worth $6,924,523,000. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 3.8% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 25,832,777 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,789,914,000 after buying an additional 956,239 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 69.55% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Johnson & Johnson

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

• Positive Sentiment: Johnson & Johnson received CE Marking in Europe for ACUVUE OASYS MAX 2-Week reusable contact lenses, expanding its Vision Care product portfolio. The approval could support future sales, though its immediate financial impact is likely limited. Johnson & Johnson Receives CE Marking for ACUVUE OASYS MAX Reusable Contact Lenses
• Positive Sentiment: China approved Icotyde, J&J’s once-daily oral treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The drug gives the company access to a large patient population and may attract patients who prefer an oral therapy to injectable alternatives, creating a potential growth catalyst. Could Icotyde Become Johnson & Johnson’s Next Blockbuster in China?
• Positive Sentiment: Investor-focused coverage continues to highlight J&J as a Dividend Aristocrat that has maintained and increased its payout through past crises, supporting its appeal as a defensive income stock. The company also recently exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue expectations. 3 Top Dividend Aristocrats To Own Near All-Time Highs
• Neutral Sentiment: J&J is trading near its 12-month high after a strong advance, indicating sustained market confidence but also leaving less room for upside without additional earnings growth.
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts are questioning whether the rally is losing momentum. With shares valued at roughly 31 times earnings, profit-taking or valuation concerns could weigh on the stock despite the company’s defensive qualities and new growth opportunities. JNJ Stock: Is the Rally Running Out of Steam?

Insider Buying and Selling at Johnson & Johnson

In related news, EVP Vanessa Broadhurst sold 23,054 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $251.27, for a total transaction of $5,792,778.58. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 23,003 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,779,963.81. This trade represents a 50.06% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Elizabeth Forminard sold 15,918 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $257.00, for a total value of $4,090,926.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 16,994 shares in the company, valued at $4,367,458. This trade represents a 48.37% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 87,569 shares of company stock worth $23,064,544 in the last three months. 0.16% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have issued reports on JNJ. Guggenheim lifted their target price on Johnson & Johnson from $270.00 to $287.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Johnson & Johnson from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Raymond James Financial set a $280.00 price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Scotiabank reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $305.00 price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, Argus set a $300.00 target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $274.13.

Johnson & Johnson Stock Performance

NYSE:JNJ opened at $265.91 on Monday. The stock's 50-day moving average is $263.03 and its 200-day moving average is $245.93. Johnson & Johnson has a 1-year low of $173.33 and a 1-year high of $281.07. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The stock has a market cap of $640.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 0.24.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 15th. The company reported $2.90 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.06. Johnson & Johnson had a net margin of 21.48% and a return on equity of 32.42%. The business had revenue of $25.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $25.06 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.77 EPS. The firm'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. Equities research analysts anticipate that Johnson & Johnson will post 11.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 25th were issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, August 25th. Johnson & Johnson's payout ratio is 62.11%.

Johnson & Johnson Profile

Johnson & Johnson NYSE: JNJ is a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical and medical device products. Founded in 1886 and headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the company serves patients, healthcare professionals and institutions in markets around the world.

Johnson & Johnson operates through two primary business segments: Innovative Medicine and MedTech. Innovative Medicine focuses on prescription treatments in areas including immunology, oncology, neuroscience, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, infectious diseases, and pulmonary hypertension.

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