Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
Johnson & Johnson is a massive healthcare giant that develops medical devices and innovative medicines to help people live healthier lives.
Is Johnson & Johnson a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Johnson & Johnson is a massive healthcare giant that develops medical devices and innovative medicines to help people live healthier lives.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Breakthroughs in major disease treatment areas
Significant legal or regulatory setbacks
What does Johnson & Johnson do?
Johnson & Johnson is a household name that splits its focus between creating advanced medical technology and developing life-saving pharmaceutical drugs. Income flows from selling these products to hospitals, pharmacies, and healthcare providers globally. Keep an eye on how they balance their massive research costs against the need to keep growing sales in a fiercely competitive global market.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and quality, and weakest on value.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 2.1% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 7% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 21% of sales into profit
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 26%)
- Quality screens high (72/100)
- Momentum screens high (76/100)
- Extremely diverse range of healthcare products
- Strong profit margins on core products
- Long history of paying dividends to shareholders
- Value screens low (29/100)
- Potential for expensive legal challenges
- Strict government regulation of drug pricing
- Competition from cheaper generic alternatives
What do Johnson & Johnson's numbers mean?
How much money does Johnson & Johnson make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Johnson & Johnson pay a dividend?
Yes - Johnson & Johnson currently pays a dividend of about 2.1% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Johnson & Johnson report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Johnson & Johnson is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-13 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-15 | $2.85 | $2.90 | Beat +2% |
| 2026-04-14 | $2.68 | $2.70 | In line |
| 2026-01-21 | $2.46 | $2.46 | In line |
| 2025-10-14 | $2.76 | $2.80 | Beat +1% |
| 2025-07-16 | $2.68 | $2.77 | Beat +3% |
| 2025-04-15 | $2.58 | $2.77 | Beat +7% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Johnson & Johnson came in ahead of what analysts expected 4 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Moderna, Inc.
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.What are the scenarios for Johnson & Johnson?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Johnson & Johnson?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Extremely diverse range of healthcare products
- Strong profit margins on core products
- Long history of paying dividends to shareholders
- High price relative to current earnings
- Large size can make rapid growth difficult
- Significant costs associated with research and development
- Potential for expensive legal challenges
- Strict government regulation of drug pricing
- Competition from cheaper generic alternatives
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A major change in global healthcare policy
- The loss of key patents for top-selling medicines
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.