Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) ended Tuesday’s session lower and traded narrowly after the closing bell as investors digested a fresh—and record-size—legal headline tied to the company’s long-running talc litigation. With U.S. markets heading into a holiday-shortened session on Wednesday, December 24, the near-term setup is as much about liquidity and headline risk as it is about fundamentals.
Johnson & Johnson stock price after the bell today
JNJ finished regular trading on Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at roughly $205.7, down about 0.8% on the day. In extended trading, the stock was little changed to modestly higher, depending on the data feed—hovering in the mid-$205s to low-$206s during the early evening hours. 1
That “muted” after-hours tape matters because today’s main story was anything but small: a major jury award in a talc-related cancer case.
The headline moving JNJ today: a record $1.5 billion talc cancer verdict
The key news investors were reacting to on Dec. 23 was Reuters’ report that a Baltimore jury ordered Johnson & Johnson and related entities to pay more than $1.5 billion to plaintiff Cherie Craft, who alleged decades of exposure to asbestos in talc-based products caused peritoneal mesothelioma. Jurors found J&J, two subsidiaries, and spinoff Kenvue liable for failing to warn her that the baby powder contained asbestos, according to the report. 2
Reuters detailed that the award included $59.84 million in compensatory damages and punitive damages totaling $1.5 billion (split between Johnson & Johnson and subsidiary Pecos River Talc). Johnson & Johnson said it would appeal, calling the verdict “egregious” and “unconstitutional,” while reiterating its position that its talc products are safe and do not contain asbestos. 2
The company still faces litigation on a massive scale: Reuters reported more than 67,000 plaintiffs remain in talc-related cases, and noted that prior attempts to resolve the litigation through bankruptcy settlements have been rejected by courts. Reuters also reiterated that J&J stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. in 2020 and globally in 2023, moving to cornstarch-based alternatives. 2
Why the market’s reaction wasn’t more dramatic
For many investors, talc has been a long-standing, well-telegraphed overhang—so the day’s price move looked like repricing at the margin rather than a full-blown reassessment of the company. At the same time, a record punitive award can affect sentiment because it can:
- raise perceived “tail risk” for future jury trials,
- influence settlement expectations across the docket,
- and keep the legal story in the headlines into 2026.
What to watch before the stock market opens tomorrow
Tomorrow isn’t a normal trading day—and that’s the first thing JNJ investors should have on their radar.
1) Christmas Eve is an early-close session
U.S. stock markets will close early at 1:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, ahead of Christmas Day (Dec. 25), when markets are closed. 3
Why this matters for JNJ: early-close sessions often bring thin liquidity and larger price moves from smaller orders, especially if a major headline breaks premarket or mid-morning.
2) Premarket and after-hours can amplify headline-driven swings
Extended-hours trading exists outside the core 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. ET session, and major venues describe increased volatility and lower liquidity as typical features of these windows. That’s especially relevant for a stock like JNJ when the catalyst is litigation news—an area where updates can drop at unpredictable times. 3
3) The “next headline” risk is real in talc litigation
Going into Wednesday’s open, investors will be watching for:
- any post-verdict legal filings or comments,
- signals about the appeal timeline and whether the punitive damages could be reduced,
- and any read-through to future trial schedules and settlement posture.
In other words: the market may treat tomorrow as a headline tape rather than a fundamental tape.
Today’s forecasts: what Wall Street’s price targets imply now
As of today’s snapshot, MarketBeat’s aggregation showed:
- a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating based on 27 analyst ratings,
- an average 12‑month price target of $210.25,
- with a high target of $240 and low target of $153. 1
At around the mid‑$205 level, that consensus implies low-single-digit upside on average—while the unusually wide range between low and high targets underscores how differently analysts can frame risks like litigation exposure, product-cycle durability, and margin trajectory. 1
Today’s technical analysis: momentum looks cautious into the holiday session
Technical readouts published late today leaned defensive. Investing.com’s end-of-day technical dashboard showed:
- a 14‑day RSI around 37.9 (flagged as “Sell” on that screen),
- a “Strong Sell” summary on shorter timeframes,
- and a moving-average mix that was more negative in the near term (e.g., 50‑day MA above price) while still showing some longer-term support signals (e.g., 200‑day MA near the low‑$204s). 4
In plain English: after today’s drop, JNJ looked closer to “oversold” than “overbought,” but the technical posture still reflects caution—consistent with a market trying to handicap legal uncertainty. 4
The broader market backdrop today: risk-on tone, but JNJ lagged
U.S. equities generally pushed higher on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 closing at a record as technology names led gains and investors reacted to a batch of economic data including a 4.3% annualized Q3 GDP reading. 5
That context matters because JNJ’s decline was less about broad risk appetite and more about idiosyncratic company risk—specifically, litigation. 2
One more date investors should keep on the calendar
While it’s not tomorrow’s catalyst, J&J has already scheduled its next major corporate checkpoint: the company said it will host its investor conference call to review fourth‑quarter results at 8:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, with the earnings press release expected earlier that morning. 6
Bottom line for JNJ heading into Wednesday, Dec. 24
After the bell on Dec. 23, Johnson & Johnson stock steadied in extended trading after a down day that was dominated by a record talc verdict headline. Before the market opens on Christmas Eve, investors’ checklist is straightforward:
- expect potentially exaggerated moves due to a holiday early close and thin liquidity, 7
- keep attention on talc litigation follow-through (appeal strategy, additional filings, and any new case developments), 2
- and weigh the stock’s modest consensus upside against the fact that legal outcomes can change the narrative quickly. 1
