Rydar Equities Inc. Has $3.36 Million Position in Johnson & Johnson $JNJ

Key Points

• Rydar Equities more than doubled its Johnson & Johnson position in the second quarter, purchasing 7,222 additional shares for a total holding valued at approximately $3.36 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.55% of JNJ.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $268.22, although one analyst downgraded the stock to “Hold.” JNJ recently beat quarterly earnings and revenue estimates and maintained 2026 EPS guidance of $11.60–$11.75.
• Johnson & Johnson raised its annual dividend to $5.36 per share, extending its dividend-increase streak to 64 years. However, insider selling and ongoing talc litigation remain notable investor considerations.

Rydar Equities Inc. raised its position in Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ - Free Report) by 120.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 13,242 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 7,222 shares during the quarter. Johnson & Johnson accounts for about 1.9% of Rydar Equities Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Rydar Equities Inc.'s holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $3,358,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. World Investment Advisors raised its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 19.6% during the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 161,343 shares of the company's stock worth $33,390,000 after purchasing an additional 26,450 shares during the last quarter. Benchmark Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson in the 4th quarter valued at $554,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 3,410,177 shares of the company's stock worth $705,736,000 after buying an additional 28,370 shares during the period. SageGuard Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the fourth quarter worth $1,019,000. Finally, KBC Group NV raised its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 21.8% during the fourth quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 2,296,831 shares of the company's stock worth $475,330,000 after buying an additional 410,720 shares during the last quarter. 69.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have weighed in on JNJ shares. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on Johnson & Johnson from $265.00 to $287.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Argus set a $300.00 price objective on Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Wall Street Zen lowered Johnson & Johnson from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 1st. Bank of America lifted their target price on Johnson & Johnson from $254.00 to $263.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Scotiabank reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $305.00 price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $268.22.

Insider Activity at Johnson & Johnson

In other news, EVP Elizabeth Forminard sold 15,918 shares of Johnson & Johnson stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $257.00, for a total transaction of $4,090,926.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 16,994 shares in the company, valued at $4,367,458. This trade represents a 48.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Kathryn E. Wengel sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $241.15, for a total transaction of $2,411,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 114,288 shares in the company, valued at $27,560,551.20. This represents a 8.05% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 48,972 shares of company stock valued at $12,295,205. 0.16% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Johnson & Johnson News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Constructive post-earnings outlook: JNJ’s latest results exceeded analyst expectations for both earnings and revenue, while full-year 2026 EPS guidance remains centered around $11.60-$11.75. Analysts are watching for continued estimate increases and earnings momentum to support the stock’s advance. Why Is Johnson & Johnson Up Since Its Last Earnings Report?
• Positive Sentiment: Pharmaceutical recovery and defensive appeal: JNJ is among the large-cap pharmaceutical companies investors are watching as the industry recovery gains traction. Its diversified healthcare business and relatively low-beta profile may also attract investors seeking defensive exposure amid market uncertainty. Large-Cap Stocks to Watch as Pharma Recovery Takes Hold
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend record reinforces income appeal: JNJ raised its dividend 3.1% to $5.36 per share annually, extending its streak of consecutive increases to 64 years. The increase supports the company’s reputation as a long-term income and stability investment. Johnson & Johnson Has Increased Its Dividend for 64 Consecutive Years
• Neutral Sentiment: Talc settlement remains a key overhang: Analysis of JNJ’s proposed $5.5 billion talc settlement views it as a potential step toward reducing litigation uncertainty, but the long-term financial and legal impact remains subject to scrutiny. Johnson & Johnson’s $5.5B Talc Settlement
• Neutral Sentiment: Portfolio adjustments: JNJ sold its remaining rights and interests in botaretigene sparoparvovec to MeiraGTx for $25 million. The transaction may streamline the portfolio, but its financial contribution is unlikely to materially affect near-term results. MeiraGTx Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Robotics competition is increasing: Intuitive Surgical cited growing competitive pressure from JNJ and Chinese robotic-surgery platforms. While this reflects JNJ’s ambitions in surgical robotics, it also signals that gaining market share could require substantial investment and execution. Intuitive Surgical Beats on Q2 Results

Johnson & Johnson Price Performance

JNJ stock opened at $260.44 on Friday. Johnson & Johnson has a 1 year low of $173.33 and a 1 year high of $274.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $627.63 billion, a PE ratio of 30.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 0.24. The company's 50-day moving average is $251.92 and its 200-day moving average is $241.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 0.81.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 15th. The company reported $2.90 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.06. Johnson & Johnson had a return on equity of 32.42% and a net margin of 21.48%.The business had revenue of $25.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $25.06 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.77 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. Johnson & Johnson has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.600-11.750 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Johnson & Johnson will post 11.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 25th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, August 25th. Johnson & Johnson's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 62.11%.

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.

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