Bank of America Corp DE Sells 2,078,556 Shares of Johnson & Johnson $JNJ

Key Points

• Bank of America reduced its Johnson & Johnson stake by 8.1%, selling 2.08 million shares in the second quarter but retaining 23.44 million shares valued at approximately $5.95 billion. Institutional investors own 69.55% of J&J.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $274.13. Recent targets range as high as $320, while J&J shares trade near $265.91.
• J&J exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, reported 6.6% year-over-year revenue growth, and pays a $1.34 quarterly dividend, equivalent to a 2.0% yield. New product approvals in Europe and China provide potential growth catalysts, though elevated valuation and recent insider selling could limit near-term upside.

Bank of America Corp DE lessened its stake in Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ - Free Report) by 8.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 23,438,141 shares of the company's stock after selling 2,078,556 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE owned 0.97% of Johnson & Johnson worth $5,952,585,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in JNJ. Blueline Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Semmax Financial Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 55.0% during the 2nd quarter. Semmax Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 203 shares of the company's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares during the period. MidAtlantic Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Johnson & Johnson during the 4th quarter valued at $37,000. Matrix Trust Co lifted its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 56.2% in the 2nd quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 150 shares of the company's stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 54 shares during the period. Finally, Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the 3rd quarter worth $41,000. 69.55% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on JNJ shares. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $265.00 to $287.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Johnson & Johnson from $284.00 to $294.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on Johnson & Johnson from $250.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $260.00 price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Finally, HSBC increased their price objective on Johnson & Johnson from $290.00 to $320.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $274.13.

Johnson & Johnson Stock Up 0.1%

NYSE:JNJ opened at $265.91 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 0.81. The company's fifty day moving average price is $263.03 and its 200-day moving average price is $245.93. Johnson & Johnson has a 1-year low of $173.33 and a 1-year high of $281.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $640.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.81, a PEG 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 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.06. Johnson & Johnson had a net margin of 21.48% and a return on equity of 32.42%. The company had revenue of $25.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $25.06 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.77 earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. Johnson & Johnson has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.600-11.750 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Johnson & Johnson will post 11.61 EPS for the current year.

Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend

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

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

In other Johnson & Johnson news, EVP Jennifer L. Taubert sold 15,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.36, for a total value of $3,950,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 194,451 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $51,210,615.36. The trade was a 7.16% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Timothy Schmid sold 33,597 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.74, for a total value of $9,230,439.78. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 25,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,991,308.78. This represents a 56.90% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 87,569 shares of company stock worth $23,064,544 over the last ninety days. 0.16% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Johnson & Johnson

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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