Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) Sees Significant Growth in Short Interest

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of February. As of February 27th, there was short interest totaling 25,086,679 shares, a growth of 20.8% from the February 12th total of 20,767,056 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 10,013,422 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.5 days. Approximately 1.0% of the company’s shares are sold short. Approximately 1.0% of the company’s shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 10,013,422 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.5 days.

Johnson & Johnson Stock Down 2.1%

JNJ traded down $5.01 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $238.18. The company had a trading volume of 7,279,967 shares, compared to its average volume of 9,039,261. Johnson & Johnson has a 52 week low of $141.50 and a 52 week high of $251.71. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The company has a market capitalization of $573.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.55, a PEG ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 0.34. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $232.69 and its 200 day moving average price is $207.13.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Saturday, January 31st. The company reported $2.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $24.28 billion for the quarter. Johnson & Johnson had a net margin of 28.46% and a return on equity of 33.04%. On average, research analysts anticipate that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.58 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Johnson & Johnson Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 24th were issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 24th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. Johnson & Johnson’s dividend payout ratio is presently 47.06%.

Johnson & Johnson News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: HSBC raised its price target to $280 and kept a “buy” rating, giving JNJ meaningful upside vs. current levels — a direct bullish signal from a large bank that can support longer‑term investor interest. HSBC raises PT to $280
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple analyst pieces argue JNJ can reach $280, highlighting strong recent performance and portfolio catalysts that underpin upside potential for patient buyers. Why One Analyst Thinks J&J Reaches $280
• Positive Sentiment: Clinical progress: J&J reported a Phase I win for its Erda‑iDRS bladder cancer candidate (strong responses, durable control, manageable safety), supporting mid‑to‑late stage development and potential future revenue streams from oncology. JNJ’s bladder cancer therapy meets key goal
• Positive Sentiment: Regulatory filing: J&J submitted a Type II variation to the EMA seeking TECVAYLI approval for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma — a commercial expansion that could boost oncology sales in Europe if approved. TECVAYLI EMA submission
• Neutral Sentiment: Product rollout: J&J launched a pulsed field ablation (PFA) technology in Peru, demonstrating continued commercial rollouts in medtech that expand procedural offerings but are unlikely to move near‑term earnings materially. PFA Peru launch
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation check: Several writeups ask whether JNJ is fully priced after large multi‑year gains, prompting debate among investors about upside vs. stretched multiples — discussion that can increase volatility but isn’t a direct operational negative. Is it time to reassess J&J?
• Negative Sentiment: Near‑term selling: Coverage notes JNJ “slid” while the broader market rose, indicating profit‑taking/rotation rather than company‑specific bad news — this pressure offsets some of the positive catalysts in the short term. JNJ stock slides as market rises
• Negative Sentiment: Technical/positioning risk: After a large YTD and multi‑year run, some investors may be de‑risking, increasing downside sensitivity to broader market swings and any disappointing execution updates. Market patience for buyers

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

JNJ has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $208.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Johnson & Johnson from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, February 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $250.00 price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Wolfe Research boosted their price objective on Johnson & Johnson from $225.00 to $240.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Johnson & Johnson from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One investment 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 data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $236.57.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Timothy Schmid sold 1,322 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $245.66, for a total value of $324,762.52. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 25,447 shares in the company, valued at $6,251,310.02. This represents a 4.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Vanessa Broadhurst sold 6,197 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 23,003 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,598,700.17. This represents a 21.22% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders sold 30,142 shares of company stock valued at $7,360,528. Insiders own 0.16% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Johnson & Johnson

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd grew its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 632.0% during the 3rd quarter. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd now owns 89,183 shares of the company’s stock valued at $16,536,000 after acquiring an additional 77,000 shares during the period. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 130,934 shares of the company’s stock worth $24,278,000 after purchasing an additional 2,769 shares during the period. Guinness Asset Management LTD lifted its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 0.4% in the third quarter. Guinness Asset Management LTD now owns 1,383,195 shares of the company’s stock valued at $251,216,000 after purchasing an additional 5,994 shares during the last quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 8.3% in the second quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 1,234,945 shares of the company’s stock valued at $188,638,000 after purchasing an additional 94,957 shares during the last quarter. Finally, National Pension Service grew its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 3.2% during the third quarter. National Pension Service now owns 4,926,569 shares of the company’s stock valued at $913,484,000 after purchasing an additional 151,707 shares during the period. 69.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.