JNJ AI Stock Analysis – Buy, Hold, or Avoid?
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
Johnson & Johnson remains a fundamentally strong, diversified healthcare leader with robust margins, reliable earnings, and a defensive profile. While short-term technicals and sentiment are mixed due to litigation and patent risks, the long-term outlook is supported by a strong pipeline, solid cash flow, and fair valuation for a quality compounder. The risk/reward profile favors patient investors seeking stability and moderate growth.
Fundamentals
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) demonstrates consistent financial stability with robust profitability, resilient cash flows, and steady earnings momentum. The company continues to outperform market expectations with a durable growth trajectory and strong margin preservation, supporting its reputation as a healthcare sector bellwether. Despite a relatively premium valuation versus historical averages, fundamentals back an overall constructive outlook.
Financial Highlights
- Revenue
- Net Income
- Net Margin (%)
Revenue
9.91% YoY
Q1 2026
Net Income
-52.40% YoY
Q1 2026
Net Margin
Q1 2026
Growth Metrics
Revenue Growth YoY
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Net Income Growth YoY
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Revenue Per Share Growth YoY
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
EPS Growth YoY
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Book Value Per Share Growth YoY
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
| Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q2 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 24.1B | 24.6B | 24.0B | 23.7B | 21.9B | 22.5B | 22.5B | 22.4B |
| Revenue Growth YoY | +9.91% | +9.08% | +6.77% | +5.77% | +2.39% | +5.26% | +5.25% | +4.31% |
| Net Income | 5.2B | 5.1B | 5.2B | 5.5B | 11.0B | 3.4B | 2.7B | 4.7B |
| Net Income Growth YoY | -52.40% | +49.11% | +91.24% | +18.16% | +237.91% | -15.26% | -89.65% | -8.90% |
| EPS | $2.14 | $2.10 | $2.14 | $2.29 | $4.57 | $1.43 | $1.12 | $1.95 |
| EPS Growth YoY | -53.17% | +46.85% | +91.07% | +17.44% | +238.52% | -14.88% | -89.15% | -1.52% |
Profitability Metrics
Gross Margin
TTM
Operating Margin
TTM
Net Margin
TTM
Return on Equity
TTM
Return on Assets
TTM
| Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q2 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 71.49% | 67.56% | 69.56% | 67.87% | 66.40% | 68.35% | 69.01% | 69.40% |
| Operating Margin | 26.58% | 22.76% | 29.58% | 28.68% | 28.77% | 17.06% | 23.49% | 29.66% |
| Net Margin | 21.76% | 20.83% | 21.47% | 23.32% | 50.24% | 15.24% | 11.99% | 20.88% |
| Return on Equity (ROE) | 6.45% | 6.27% | 6.50% | 7.06% | 14.08% | 4.80% | 3.84% | 6.55% |
| Return on Assets (ROA) | 5.07% | 5.11% | 5.36% | 5.80% | 9.78% | 3.49% | 2.87% | 4.83% |
Technical Analysis
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is showing a technical profile of a stock in the advancing phase with a constructive uptrend supported by institutional accumulation. While the price is currently below the 50-day SMA, it remains well above the 200-day SMA, indicating longer-term strength. Momentum is moderate with developing trends, and the RSI reflects a neutral state without overbought or oversold conditions.
No extreme reading
Mixed signals
Trend developing
Watching for cross
Key Technical Values
Price with Moving Averages
50-day, 150-day and 200-day simple moving averages
Relative Strength Index
Momentum oscillator measuring speed and magnitude of price changes
RSI (14)
Earnings
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) demonstrates consistent financial stability with robust profitability, resilient cash flows, and steady earnings momentum. The company continues to outperform market expectations with a durable growth trajectory and strong margin preservation, supporting its reputation as a healthcare sector bellwether. Despite a relatively premium valuation versus historical averages, fundamentals back an overall constructive outlook.
Latest Earnings
Q1 2026 Earnings (Mar 29, 2026)
Earnings Per Share (EPS)
Actual
$2.70
Estimated
$2.68
Surprise
+$0.02
Surprise %
+0.75%
Revenue
Actual
$24.06B
Estimated
$23.61B
Surprise
+$447.33M
Surprise %
+1.89%
Historical Earnings
| Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q2 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Per Share | ||||||||
| EPS (Actual) | $2.70 | $2.46 | $2.80 | $2.77 | $2.77 | $2.04 | $2.42 | $2.82 |
| EPS (Estimated) | $2.68 | $2.46 | $2.76 | $2.68 | $2.58 | $1.99 | $2.21 | $2.71 |
| EPS Surprise | +$0.02 | +$0.00 | +$0.04 | +$0.09 | +$0.19 | +$0.05 | +$0.21 | +$0.11 |
| % Diff | +0.7% | +0.0% | +1.4% | +3.4% | +7.4% | +2.5% | +9.5% | +4.1% |
| Revenue | ||||||||
| Revenue (Actual) | $24.06B | $24.56B | $23.99B | $23.74B | $21.89B | $22.52B | $22.47B | $22.45B |
| Revenue (Estimated) | $23.61B | $24.15B | $23.76B | $22.85B | $21.56B | $22.43B | $22.17B | $22.33B |
| Revenue Surprise | +$447.33M | +$416.01M | +$237.64M | +$889.03M | +$334.38M | +$88.78M | +$299.19M | +$116.62M |
| % Diff | +1.9% | +1.7% | +1.0% | +3.9% | +1.6% | +0.4% | +1.3% | +0.5% |
Valuation
Johnson & Johnson is fundamentally strong with stable revenue growth and robust profitability, reflected by solid margins and healthy cash flow. Valuation metrics indicate it trades at a premium relative to some pharmaceutical peers but roughly in line with broader healthcare sector standards, supported by positive earnings growth expectations and a constructive analyst consensus with upside potential.
Valuation Metrics
Price to Earnings
TTM
Price to Sales
TTM
Price to Book
TTM
Enterprise Value to EBITDA
TTM
Enterprise Value to Revenue
TTM
| Q1 2026 | Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price to Earnings | 28.54 | 28.32 | 24.56 | 24.63 | 21.40 | 16.68 | 9.07 | 25.14 |
| Price to Sales | 24.84 | 24.64 | 20.46 | 20.52 | 18.38 | 15.56 | 18.22 | 15.32 |
| Price to Book | 0.00 | 7.30 | 0.00 | 6.18 | 5.56 | 4.71 | 5.11 | 4.83 |
| Enterprise Value to EBITDA | 0.00 | 92.06 | 0.00 | 74.02 | 50.46 | 45.95 | 26.44 | 60.39 |
| Enterprise Value to Revenue | 0.00 | 24.47 | 0.00 | 21.67 | 19.53 | 16.92 | 18.85 | 15.88 |
Sentiment & Analyst Ratings
Johnson & Johnson exhibits a cautiously optimistic market sentiment with a "Moderate Buy" consensus from analysts, supported by strong Q1 2026 earnings beats and raised full-year guidance. Despite facing near-term headwinds such as Stelara's patent cliff and talc litigation concerns, the stock’s long-term prospects remain favorable due to oncology sales growth and pipeline advancements.
Analyst Recommendations
Risk Assessment
Johnson & Johnson exhibits a financially stable profile with strong debt servicing capacity and adequate liquidity in line with industry standards, but faces moderate near-term risks from significant litigation related to talc products and patent expirations affecting key drugs like Stelara. The company's solid market position, though challenged by intense competition and regulatory pressures, supports a moderate risk outlook for investors focused on long-term stability.
Liquidity & Solvency
Current Ratio
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Quick Ratio
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Debt-to-Equity
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Debt-to-Assets
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
| Q1 2026 | Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquidity Metrics | ||||||||
| Current Ratio | 0.00 | 1.03 | 0.00 | 1.03 | 1.07 | 1.01 | 1.26 | 1.11 |
| Quick Ratio | 0.77 | 0.77 | 0.77 | 0.77 | 0.80 | 0.76 | 1.03 | 0.86 |
| Solvency Metrics | ||||||||
| Debt-to-Equity | 0.00 | 0.22 | 0.00 | 0.59 | 0.58 | 0.65 | 0.67 | 0.51 |
| Debt-to-Assets | 0.00 | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.24 | 0.24 | 0.26 | 0.27 | 0.20 |
Liquidity Assessment
Current Ratio: 1.03(Adequate)
Quick Ratio: 0.77(Weak)
The company has relatively weak liquidity and may face challenges meeting short-term obligations.
Solvency Assessment
Debt-to-Equity: 0.22(Low)
Debt-to-Assets: 0.09(Low)
The company has conservative debt levels, indicating low financial risk and strong long-term solvency.
Frequently Asked Questions about JNJ
AI Answers: Common Questions About JNJ
Get AI-powered answers to the questions investors ask most about Johnson & Johnson
JNJ is a good buy for long-term investors given its fair valuation (P/E 25.65), robust margins (gross 69–73%, operating ~27%), and analyst price target of $252.48 (~13.5% upside). However, short-term traders may want to wait for technical confirmation above $236 or a pullback to support near $218.
Unless your thesis has changed or you need to reduce risk exposure, there is no strong reason to sell now: fundamentals remain strong, and the long-term outlook is positive. Short-term technicals are neutral, so selling solely on recent price weakness is not warranted unless litigation or patent risks escalate unexpectedly.
The biggest risks are ongoing talc litigation (potential billion-dollar verdicts), Stelara's patent expiration (posing revenue pressure), and regulatory scrutiny. Liquidity is adequate (current ratio slightly above 1), but large litigation payouts could tighten short-term resources.
Analyst consensus 12-month price target is $252.48, about 13.5% above current levels. Technical resistance is at $236.41 (50-day SMA) and $251.71 (52-week high), with support at $218.42 (150 SMA) and $207.72 (200 SMA).
JNJ trades at a premium (P/E 25.65, high EV/EBITDA), but this is justified by its stable revenue growth (~6% annually), high margins, and strong cash flow. It is fairly valued relative to sector leaders and its own historical averages.
JNJ is fundamentally strong, with consistent revenue and EPS growth, high and stable margins (gross 69–73%, operating ~27%), ROE near 25%, and strong free cash flow supporting dividends and R&D. Its diversified model and global scale underpin resilience.
Technicals are neutral: the stock is consolidating below the 50-day SMA ($236.41), but remains in a long-term uptrend above the 200-day SMA ($207.72). RSI is neutral at 32.9, and volume is below average, suggesting no strong momentum either way.
Key catalysts include upcoming product launches (notably in oncology and immunology), FDA approvals (e.g., IMAAVY), and resolution of major litigation. Quarterly earnings and dividend announcements may also move the stock.
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