Verdence Capital Advisors LLC Purchases 8,909 Shares of Johnson & Johnson $JNJ

Key Points

• Verdence Capital Advisors increased its Johnson & Johnson stake by 27.9% in the third quarter, purchasing 8,909 shares and bringing its holdings to 40,810 shares valued at approximately $10.8 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 69.55% of J&J.
• Johnson & Johnson recently beat quarterly earnings estimates, reporting $2.59 in EPS and $25.40 billion in revenue, while reaffirming fiscal 2026 guidance. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.34 per share, equivalent to a 1.9% annual yield.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $275.92, but investors face risks from Stelara’s declining sales, potential 2027 earnings pressure, premium valuation and ongoing legal matters.

Verdence Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ - Free Report) by 27.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 40,810 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 8,909 shares during the period. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC's holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $10,804,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Outlook Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Johnson & Johnson during the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Matrix Trust Co boosted its position in Johnson & Johnson by 56.2% during the 2nd quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 150 shares of the company's stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares during the period. Montgomery Financial Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson in the second quarter worth $43,000. Polaris Financial Partners acquired a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the third quarter valued at $56,000. Finally, Bullseye Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the second quarter valued at $63,000. 69.55% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Johnson & Johnson

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

• Positive Sentiment: Icotyde gains traction in plaque psoriasis. Independent physician research indicates that Johnson & Johnson’s oral therapy is being adopted quickly in U.S. dermatology practices and gaining share among oral advanced treatments. Earlier use could expand Icotyde’s revenue opportunity and delay treatment with more expensive biologics. Does Johnson & Johnson Have a New Edge in Plaque Psoriasis?
• Positive Sentiment: Newer products are helping offset Stelara’s decline. J&J’s stock has gained substantially over the past year as newer medicines compensate for pressure on Stelara, while the company works toward resolving ovarian talc claims. Johnson & Johnson Is Up 42% in a Year: Take Profits, or Buy More?
• Positive Sentiment: Medical-device evidence supports Impella. J&J presented a record 26 abstracts at TCT 2026, adding to more than two decades of data on the safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of its Impella heart pumps. The data may reinforce adoption of the cardiovascular device franchise. Johnson & Johnson Record 26 Abstracts at TCT 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Recent operating results remain supportive. J&J exceeded quarterly earnings expectations, with revenue rising year over year, and reaffirmed fiscal 2026 earnings guidance. Its diversified drug and device portfolio has also benefited from continued progress in arthritis treatments and regulatory expansion. Johnson & Johnson Strong Q3 Growth, But 2027 Could Test Its Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment is generally favorable, but broker ratings are already reflected in the stock’s strong run and do not by themselves provide a new earnings catalyst. Johnson & Johnson Is Considered a Good Investment by Brokers
• Negative Sentiment: Investors face longer-term earnings and legal risks. Stelara’s erosion, potential 2027 earnings pressure and J&J’s premium valuation could limit further upside. Separately, Pomerantz announced an investigation into potential investor claims related to the company; the announcement is not a finding of wrongdoing but could add headline and litigation risk. Pomerantz Investor Alert Regarding Johnson & Johnson

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on JNJ shares. Guggenheim restated a "buy" rating and set a $287.00 price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Wednesday, October 7th. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $298.00 to $303.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Bank of America restated a "neutral" rating and set a $278.00 price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research report on Tuesday, September 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 14th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut shares of Johnson & Johnson from a "buy (b+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Friday, October 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $275.92.

Johnson & Johnson Trading Up 1.5%

Shares of Johnson & Johnson stock opened at $275.17 on Friday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $265.64 and a 200-day simple moving average of $246.62. Johnson & Johnson has a fifty-two week low of $185.12 and a fifty-two week high of $281.07. The firm has a market cap of $662.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.21. The company has a quick ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 13th. The company reported $2.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.53 by $0.06. Johnson & Johnson had a return on equity of 31.64% and a net margin of 16.20%. The firm had revenue of $25.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $25.38 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.80 earnings per share. Johnson & Johnson's revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Johnson & Johnson has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.050-11.150 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Johnson & Johnson will post 11.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Johnson & Johnson Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 8th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 24th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, November 24th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.9%. Johnson & Johnson's payout ratio is currently 81.21%.

Insider Transactions at Johnson & Johnson

In related news, EVP Jennifer Taubert sold 15,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $263.36, for a total value of $3,950,400.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 194,451 shares in the company, valued at $51,210,615.36. The trade was a 7.16% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Elizabeth Forminard sold 15,918 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 16,994 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,367,458. This represents a 48.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 64,515 shares of company stock valued at $17,271,766 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.16% of the company's stock.

About Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson NYSE: JNJ is a global healthcare company headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Founded in 1886, the company develops and markets products and services for patients, healthcare professionals and institutions worldwide.

Johnson & Johnson operates through two principal segments: Innovative Medicine and MedTech. Innovative Medicine focuses on pharmaceuticals for areas such as immunology, oncology, neuroscience, infectious diseases and cardiovascular conditions.

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