Leerink Partners Increases Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) Price Target to $252.00

Key Points

• Leerink Partners raised its price target on Johnson & Johnson to $252 from $232 while maintaining a "market perform" rating, implying about a 5.4% upside from the current share price.
• J&J beat Q1 estimates (EPS $2.70 vs. $2.68; revenue $24.06B), raised FY2026 guidance and increased its dividend for the 64th consecutive year, with strength in oncology and new therapies cited as commercial drivers.
• Analyst consensus remains positive: one Strong Buy, 17 Buys and nine Holds, giving an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $247.48, close to the stock's current trading level and 52‑week high.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ - Get Free Report) had its target price boosted by equities research analysts at Leerink Partners from $232.00 to $252.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage currently has a "market perform" rating on the stock. Leerink Partners' price objective indicates a potential upside of 5.42% from the stock's current price.

Several other research analysts have also weighed in on the company. HSBC upped their target price on Johnson & Johnson from $265.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Bank of America reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $274.00 to $285.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Freedom Capital downgraded shares of Johnson & Johnson from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, UBS Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Monday, January 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $247.48.

Johnson & Johnson Price Performance

Shares of JNJ opened at $239.03 on Wednesday. The business's 50-day moving average is $241.58 and its 200-day moving average is $216.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 0.77. The company has a market capitalization of $575.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.67, a P/E/G ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.34. Johnson & Johnson has a fifty-two week low of $146.12 and a fifty-two week high of $251.71.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 14th. The company reported $2.70 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.68 by $0.02. Johnson & Johnson had a net margin of 28.46% and a return on equity of 33.04%. The firm had revenue of $24.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $23.60 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.77 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 9.9% on a year-over-year basis. Johnson & Johnson has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.450-11.650 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Vanessa Broadhurst sold 6,197 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $243.39, for a total transaction of $1,508,287.83. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 23,003 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,598,700.17. The trade was a 21.22% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Timothy Schmid sold 22,623 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $244.33, for a total transaction of $5,527,477.59. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 26,769 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,540,469.77. This trade represents a 45.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 30,142 shares of company stock valued at $7,360,528 in the last three months. 0.16% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Johnson & Johnson

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. J. Derek Lewis & Associates Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson in the 4th quarter worth approximately $296,000. Purpose Unlimited Inc. bought a new position in Johnson & Johnson in the fourth quarter worth $131,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC bought a new position in Johnson & Johnson in the fourth quarter worth $4,442,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 12.7% during the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 937,751 shares of the company's stock worth $194,068,000 after buying an additional 105,383 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New Hampshire raised its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. Bank of New Hampshire now owns 14,480 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,997,000 after buying an additional 660 shares in the last quarter. 69.55% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Johnson & Johnson News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and guidance lift — J&J reported $2.70 EPS vs. ~$2.68 expected and $24.06B revenue, then raised FY2026 sales and EPS outlook, which supports higher multiple and investor confidence. Johnson & Johnson Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend raise reinforces income thesis — Board increased the quarterly payout to $1.34 (64th consecutive annual increase), supporting yield-oriented investors and reducing downside volatility. Business Wire: Dividend Increase
• Positive Sentiment: Commercial drivers: oncology and new therapies — Strong sales from Darzalex, Tremfya and Spravato (notable QoQ and YoY growth) underpin the raised outlook and signal sustainable growth beyond legacy products. Yahoo Finance: Raises 2026 Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary and sentiment — Some bullish takes argue upside (e.g., a MarketBeat piece saying a ~20% gain looks achievable), while others caution valuation vs. growth peers; watch analyst revisions post‑call. MarketBeat: 20% Gain Thesis
• Neutral Sentiment: Media/broker notes highlight sector implications — J&J’s results are being read as a signal for healthcare ETFs and psychedelics peers (Spravato strength), which may amplify flows into/away from JNJ depending on broader sector moves. ETF Trends: Sector Implications
• Negative Sentiment: Profit decline, cash‑flow and margin pressure — Despite top‑line beats, Q1 profit fell and free cash flow reportedly declined, which raises near‑term margin and cash concerns. RTTNews: Profit Down
• Negative Sentiment: Stelara decline & biosimilar risk — A steep drop in Stelara sales and ongoing biosimilar competition for legacy drugs remain a headwind and a source of uncertainty for sustaining past revenue levels. Reuters: Stelara Sales Disappoint
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed market reaction — Some coverage notes the stock initially slipped despite the beat, reflecting investor focus on margins, modest guidance details versus expectations and rotation within the sector. Investors Business Daily: Early Slip

Johnson & Johnson Company Profile

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.