NEW YORK, Dec. 28, 2025, 3:26 p.m. ET — Market closed
Johnson & Johnson stock (NYSE: JNJ) heads into the final trading week of 2025 with U.S. markets shut for the weekend and investors sorting through a fresh pipeline headline that surfaced late Friday. With the New York Stock Exchange closed today and the next regular session set for Monday, Dec. 29, attention is shifting to what could move JNJ when trading resumes—including biotech read-throughs, litigation headlines, and year-end macro catalysts in a holiday-shortened week. [1]
As of the latest available market data, JNJ last traded around $207.63, fractionally lower versus the prior close.
The weekend headline: Johnson & Johnson ends mid-stage eczema study
The biggest JNJ-specific development in the last 24–48 hours is Johnson & Johnson’s decision to discontinue a mid-stage clinical study of its investigational atopic dermatitis (eczema) therapy JNJ-5939.
Reuters reported Friday that the company halted the Phase 2b study after an interim analysis found the drug did not clear the company’s efficacy threshold, even as it was described as well-tolerated. (Source: [2]). [3]
In its own statement, Johnson & Johnson said the DUPLEX-AD Phase 2b proof-of-concept study met the prespecified criteria for early termination because results “did not meet the high-bar efficacy” it required to advance the program, while reiterating that JNJ-5939 was well tolerated. (Source: [4]). [5]
Why it matters for JNJ stock: big market, tough competition, but limited near-term financial impact
Atopic dermatitis is a large commercial market with intense competition. Reuters noted that the category already includes several established therapies, including Dupixent (Sanofi/Regeneron), Rinvoq (AbbVie), Cibinqo (Pfizer), and Ebglyss (Eli Lilly), among others. [6]
For Johnson & Johnson shareholders, the key question is whether the JNJ-5939 discontinuation changes the company’s broader growth outlook. J&J is a diversified healthcare giant, and a single mid-stage discontinuation typically has a smaller earnings impact than it would for a single-asset biotech. Still, pipeline news can influence sentiment—especially into year-end positioning—because it offers clues about R&D productivity and the depth of the company’s next wave of assets.
Reuters also pointed to other atopic dermatitis programs J&J is pursuing, including bispecific antibodies and an oral STAT6 inhibitor candidate—context that could help frame the JNJ-5939 news as a portfolio decision rather than a strategic retreat. [7]
A reminder: J&J is still expanding key franchises
Even as JNJ-5939 exits, Johnson & Johnson continues to broaden important franchises—particularly in immunology.
Earlier in the week, the company announced that the European Commission expanded TREMFYA (guselkumab) to include a pediatric indication for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (children and adolescents from age 6). (Source: [8]). [9]
The release also included commentary from Marieke Seyger, an Associate Professor at Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen and a study investigator, who highlighted the ongoing need for additional pediatric options—an example of the kind of third-party clinical perspective investors watch for as indications expand. [10]
Litigation remains a headline risk: the talc overhang
While Friday’s pipeline update is the newest catalyst, litigation continues to be a major overhang that can flare up unpredictably.
On Dec. 23, Reuters reported that a Baltimore jury ordered Johnson & Johnson and subsidiaries to pay over $1.5 billion in damages in a talc-related cancer case, and that J&J said it planned to appeal while maintaining its products are safe. (Source: [11]). [12]
Even though that verdict falls outside the 48-hour window, it remains a live factor for positioning because litigation developments can influence risk premiums (and headlines) quickly—especially when markets reopen after a weekend.
Forecasts and Street view: “Moderate Buy,” but targets imply limited upside from here
Analyst sentiment around JNJ remains generally constructive, but not euphoric.
MarketBeat’s compilation (published today) says Johnson & Johnson has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating from 27 brokerages, with an average 1-year price target of $210.25. (Source: [13]). [14]
A separate MarketBeat update also lists several recent target changes from large firms (including Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America, among others), while reiterating the same $210.25 consensus target. (Source: [15]). [16]
The takeaway for investors: at current levels around $208, the consensus target implies modest potential upside, suggesting the market may be valuing JNJ more as a steady compounder—supported by cash flow, scale, and dividends—than as a dramatic re-rating story.
Dividend focus: a core part of the JNJ thesis
Income remains a major reason many investors own Johnson & Johnson stock.
- In October, J&J announced a $1.30 per share quarterly dividend for the fourth quarter of 2025. (Source: [17]). [18]
- On its investor site, J&J highlights more than 60 consecutive years of dividend increases, reinforcing its long-standing income profile. [19]
MarketBeat estimates the forward yield around the mid‑2% range based on recent prices and dividend rate, though yields move with the stock price. [20]
Next major catalyst: J&J’s Q4 results and January earnings call
With markets closed today, investors can use the downtime to map the next high-visibility catalyst: earnings.
Johnson & Johnson said it will host its investor conference call to review fourth-quarter results at 8:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 21, hosted by CEO Joaquin Duato, CFO Joseph J. Wolk, and VP of Investor Relations Darren Snellgrove. (Source: [21]). [22]
The company also said it expects to issue the earnings press release around 6:45 a.m. ET that morning. [23]
Market setup: what to know before the next session
Because it’s Sunday, there is no U.S. premarket or after-hours session running right now. But investors planning for Monday should remember:
- Nasdaq notes that investors may trade in the pre-market (4:00–9:30 a.m. ET) and after-hours (4:00–8:00 p.m. ET), and cautions that liquidity can be thinner and price swings faster in extended sessions. (Source: [24]). [25]
- NYSE lists the core U.S. equities session as 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. [26]
This matters for JNJ because the first read on how traders digest Friday’s trial news will likely show up early Monday—often via premarket indications, news recaps, and any analyst notes issued ahead of the bell.
Macro calendar: year-end data and New Year’s schedule could drive sector rotation
JNJ often trades as a “defensive” healthcare holding, but it can still be influenced by broad market moves—especially when rates, macro data, and year-end positioning shift.
Investopedia’s “markets this week” preview (published today) highlights a holiday-shortened final week of 2025, with upcoming macro events including:
- Pending home sales (Monday, Dec. 29)
- S&P Case-Shiller home price index, Chicago business barometer, and FOMC meeting minutes (Tuesday, Dec. 30)
- Initial jobless claims (Wednesday, Dec. 31) [27]
On the holiday schedule, Investopedia also notes that U.S. stock markets operate a normal schedule on New Year’s Eve, while stock and bond markets are closed on Jan. 1, 2026 for New Year’s Day. [28]
Bottom line for Johnson & Johnson stock heading into Monday
For the next session, JNJ investors will likely be balancing three storylines:
- Pipeline discipline — Friday’s eczema-study termination is a negative datapoint for that specific asset, but the company is framing it as a high-bar portfolio decision and continues to emphasize other dermatology research efforts. [29]
- Headline risk from litigation — The talc docket remains an intermittent volatility source, and recent large verdicts can keep the issue front-of-mind even when the stock market is focused on macro. [30]
- Steady-return appeal — With consensus targets clustered not far above current levels and the dividend narrative intact, incremental news and broader market tone may matter more than dramatic re-rating calls in the near term. [31]
When the bell approaches Monday morning, watch for any follow-on commentary about the eczema program, whether any major firms publish fresh notes tied to the pipeline update, and how broader market sentiment looks heading into a holiday-shortened New Year’s week. [32]
References
1. www.nyse.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.reuters.com, 4. www.jnj.com, 5. www.jnj.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.jnj.com, 9. www.jnj.com, 10. www.jnj.com, 11. www.reuters.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. www.marketbeat.com, 14. www.marketbeat.com, 15. www.marketbeat.com, 16. www.marketbeat.com, 17. www.investor.jnj.com, 18. www.investor.jnj.com, 19. www.investor.jnj.com, 20. www.marketbeat.com, 21. www.jnj.com, 22. www.jnj.com, 23. www.jnj.com, 24. www.nasdaq.com, 25. www.nasdaq.com, 26. www.nyse.com, 27. www.investopedia.com, 28. www.investopedia.com, 29. www.reuters.com, 30. www.reuters.com, 31. www.marketbeat.com, 32. www.nasdaq.com
