Sanford C. Bernstein Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) Stock

Key Points

• Sanford C. Bernstein raised its Johnson & Johnson price target to $251 from $225, keeping a "market perform" rating and implying about a 5% upside; the analyst consensus averages a $247.48 target and a "Moderate Buy" view.
• Q1 beat and stronger outlook: J&J reported $2.70 EPS (vs. $2.68 est.) and $24.06B revenue, raised FY2026 guidance, and increased the quarterly dividend for the 64th consecutive year—with commercial strength from Darzalex, Tremfya and Spravato cited as drivers.
• Risks and insider activity: Insiders sold ~30,142 shares (~$7.36M) in the past 90 days, and challenges remain such as falling Stelara sales and biosimilar competition that could pressure margins and future revenue.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ - Get Free Report) had its price target hoisted by stock analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein from $225.00 to $251.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage presently has a "market perform" rating on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein's price target indicates a potential upside of 5.01% from the company's current price.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on JNJ. Guggenheim raised their price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $240.00 to $244.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Barclays set a $255.00 target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $240.00 to $263.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday. TD Cowen assumed coverage on Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. They set a "buy" rating and a $250.00 price target on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Johnson & Johnson from $265.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and nine have assigned 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 $247.48.

Johnson & Johnson Stock Performance

JNJ stock opened at $239.03 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $575.74 billion, a PE ratio of 21.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a current ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $241.58 and a 200-day moving average price of $216.38. Johnson & Johnson has a 1-year low of $146.12 and a 1-year high of $251.71.

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

Insider Activity at Johnson & Johnson

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of JNJ. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in Johnson & Johnson by 13.9% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 51,876 shares of the company's stock worth $7,502,000 after acquiring an additional 6,332 shares during the period. United Bank grew its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 110.7% during the 1st quarter. United Bank now owns 9,279 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,539,000 after acquiring an additional 4,876 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 13.4% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 5,863 shares of the company's stock worth $896,000 after purchasing an additional 692 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Group Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 12.8% in the 2nd quarter. Wealth Group Ltd. now owns 1,482 shares of the company's stock worth $226,000 after purchasing an additional 168 shares during the period. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 9.8% in the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 73,680 shares of the company's stock worth $11,255,000 after purchasing an additional 6,584 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other 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: 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

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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