New York, January 19, 2026, 10:36 (EST) — Market closed
- JNJ slipped 0.4% on Friday ahead of its upcoming quarterly earnings report
- Wall Street eyes 2026 guidance amid tariff news rattling broader risk appetite
- Up next: earnings report and management call Wednesday morning
Johnson & Johnson shares ended Friday down 0.4%, closing at $218.66. Investors are cautious ahead of the holiday-shortened week and the company’s earnings report due Wednesday.
Timing is key. J&J stands out as one of the first major healthcare companies to lay out 2026 figures, and in a market already pricing in expectations, guidance often carries more weight than a small beat or miss.
Tariff news added to the tension. While U.S. cash equity markets were closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, stock futures dropped after President Donald Trump warned of new tariffs targeting several European nations. “It’s highly likely that the White House will use the threat of tariffs consistently, even when deals have previously been agreed,” said George Lagarias, chief economist at Forvis Mazars. 1
Johnson & Johnson will unveil its fiscal 2025 fourth-quarter results before markets open Wednesday, with a conference call scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET, the company’s investor relations site shows. 2
Analysts are forecasting earnings per share around $2.49 on sales hitting $24.16 billion, according to TipRanks data. EPS, or earnings per share, measures profit divided by outstanding shares—though it can be skewed by one-off items. 3
Traders are tuned in for the full-year outlook. They’ll focus on how management describes demand across its drug portfolio and medical devices, and watch closely for any changes in tone on pricing and costs.
Policy noise remains a wild card. Tariffs tend to impact sentiment quicker than they show up in income statements, and right now, the market is reacting to the headlines once more.
On Friday, the company released new Phase 3 data showing that Caplyta, when paired with an antidepressant, achieved higher remission rates than placebo at six weeks. The benefits persisted through a six-month open-label extension. Bill Martin, J&J’s global therapeutic area head for neuroscience, said, “These data demonstrate that remission is within reach and should be the expectation, not the exception.” 4
The stock faces its typical risk: delivering a solid quarter but offering cautious guidance. In a market already unsettled by geopolitics and trade concerns, investors can swiftly shift away from what’s merely “less bad.”
J&J often serves as a defensive play within the Dow during market jitters. That cushioning works on tough days, but won’t shield the stock if its outlook falls short.
U.S. markets resume trading Tuesday. Johnson & Johnson’s next major event is the earnings report and management call set for Jan. 21.
