Date: November 25, 2025
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) heads into Tuesday’s session at or near record highs, riding a wave of bullish options activity, a key ex‑dividend date today and a string of growth-focused pipeline moves in cancer and neuroscience.
As of the latest completed trading session on Monday, November 24, JNJ was trading around $206 per share, close to its 12‑month high just under $207, with a 12‑month low near $141, a price/earnings ratio around 20 and a dividend yield in the ballpark of 2.5%–2.6%. [1] The stock is up more than 7% since the first trading day of November, outpacing the broader market and pushing further into blue‑chip “leader” territory. [2]
Below is a breakdown of what matters for JNJ stock today, November 25, 2025.
1. JNJ Stock Snapshot Heading Into November 25, 2025
Recent data from MarketBeat shows Johnson & Johnson trading a little above $206 with: [3]
- 52‑week range: roughly $140.7 – $206.9
- Market cap: just under $500 billion
- Trailing P/E: about 19.6–19.9
- Dividend yield: ~2.5–2.6%
- Analyst consensus: “Moderate Buy” with an average 12‑month target price around $201
That means JNJ now trades slightly above the average Wall Street target, reflecting how quickly sentiment has turned more optimistic in recent weeks.
2. Ex‑Dividend Date Today: $1.30 Cash Payout Locks In
One of the biggest calendar events for JNJ shareholders today is the Q4 2025 dividend.
In an October 14 press release, Johnson & Johnson’s board declared a cash dividend of $1.30 per share for the fourth quarter of 2025. The company confirmed that: [4]
- The dividend is payable on December 9, 2025
- To shareholders of record at the close of business on November 25, 2025
- The ex‑dividend date is also November 25, 2025
Based on a share price around $206, that quarterly dividend implies an annualized dividend of $5.20 and a yield a bit above 2.5%, in line with MarketBeat and other data providers. [5]
What the ex‑dividend date means for JNJ’s price
On the ex‑dividend date, a stock typically opens lower by roughly the amount of the dividend, all else equal. Futu’s dividend note on JNJ explicitly highlights that cash dividends can cause a share price drop roughly equal to the payout as the entitlement shifts away from new buyers. [6]
For JNJ, that means any small dip today may be largely mechanical, not necessarily a sign of deteriorating fundamentals. Income investors, however, now have another dividend locked in from one of the market’s premier dividend-growth names.
3. Options Frenzy: Call Buying Spikes Ahead of Ex‑Div Date
Monday’s session also brought unusually intense activity in JNJ’s options market.
According to MarketBeat, traders bought about 201,000 call options on JNJ on Monday, November 24—a roughly 468% increase versus the typical daily call volume near 35,500 contracts. [7]
That surge in call buying:
- Suggests speculative or hedged bullish positioning heading into the ex‑dividend date and year‑end
- Aligns with a broadly positive analyst backdrop: MarketBeat counts 4 “Strong Buy,” 13 “Buy” and 9 “Hold” ratings, for an overall “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average target around $201. [8]
While options flows can reverse quickly, they reinforce the narrative that institutional and retail traders are leaning bullish on JNJ at current levels, even after a sharp November run.
4. Fundamental Backdrop: Strong Q3 and Upgraded 2025 Guidance
Today’s trading action sits on the back of a solid third-quarter earnings report and a raised full‑year outlook.
On October 14, J&J reported that in Q3 2025: [9]
- Reported sales rose 6.8% year over year to $24.0 billion
- Adjusted operational sales grew about 4.4%
- Reported EPS came in at $2.12, with adjusted EPS of $2.80, up more than 15% vs. the prior year
Crucially, management raised 2025 full‑year sales guidance:
- New forecast: about $93.5–$93.9 billion in sales
- Implied growth: roughly 5.4–5.9%, slightly higher than the prior range and above earlier market expectations. [10]
The company also emphasized momentum in its Innovative Medicine and MedTech segments, pointing to approvals and launches in oncology, immunology and surgical technologies as key growth drivers. [11]
This steady top‑ and bottom‑line performance helps explain why investors have been willing to re‑rate JNJ closer to a premium large‑cap pharma/medtech multiple.
5. $3.05 Billion Halda Therapeutics Deal: Deepening the Oncology Pipeline
Another major driver for Johnson & Johnson stock right now is its acquisition of Halda Therapeutics, a clinical‑stage biotech focused on prostate and other solid tumors.
On November 17, 2025, J&J announced a definitive agreement to acquire Halda Therapeutics OpCo, Inc. for $3.05 billion in cash. [12]
Key points from the deal:
- Halda’s lead asset, HLD‑0915, is an oral, once‑daily therapy for metastatic castration‑resistant prostate cancer.
- It is built on Halda’s RIPTAC™ (Regulated Induced Proximity Targeting Chimera) platform, designed to selectively kill cancer cells and overcome common resistance mechanisms. [13]
- The pipeline also includes earlier-stage candidates for breast, lung and other tumors, with potential beyond oncology. [14]
- J&J expects about $0.15 of adjusted EPS dilution in 2026 from financing and one‑time equity charges, but sees the platform as a mid‑ and long‑term growth catalyst. [15]
Reuters notes that the Halda purchase is J&J’s second major deal of 2025, following its roughly $14.6 billion acquisition of Intra‑Cellular Therapies, as the company works to offset looming patent expiries on drugs like Stelara and deepen its oncology franchise. [16]
For investors looking at JNJ today, Halda is a classic “invest now, harvest later” R&D move: near‑term earnings dilution in exchange for a potential future blockbuster platform in difficult‑to‑treat cancers.
6. Caplyta’s Depression Label Expansion: Neuroscience Becomes a Bigger Story
On the neuroscience side, Caplyta (lumateperone) is quickly becoming one of the key assets behind JNJ’s renewed growth narrative.
On November 6, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an expanded label for Caplyta as an add‑on treatment for adults with major depressive disorder (MDD), allowing it to be used alongside oral antidepressants. [17]
According to Reuters and Biopharma Dive: [18]
- The label expansion marks the first major FDA milestone since J&J acquired Intra‑Cellular Therapies earlier this year.
- MDD affects roughly 22 million adults in the U.S., giving Caplyta a much broader commercial runway than schizophrenia and bipolar depression alone.
- In late‑stage studies, Caplyta significantly improved depressive symptoms versus placebo without big trade‑offs in weight, metabolic effects or sexual side effects—important factors in chronic depression treatment.
- Caplyta generated around $240 million in global Q3 sales, and J&J has signaled an ambition to push the drug toward multi‑billion‑dollar annual revenue over time. [19]
For JNJ stock, this adds another high‑growth, patent‑protected pillar to the portfolio, complementing oncology and medtech just as older blockbusters near the end of their exclusivity.
7. Institutional Money: Big Holders Add to JNJ
Recent regulatory filings also show steady institutional demand for Johnson & Johnson shares.
MarketBeat’s coverage highlights several moves in the second quarter: [20]
- MUFG Securities Americas increased its JNJ stake by 25.1% to over 53,000 shares, making the stock about 0.7% of its portfolio.
- Willis Investment Counsel boosted its holding by 8.4% to roughly 360,000 shares, making JNJ its third‑largest position at about 3.2% of assets.
- Brandywine Global Investment Management trimmed its stake by 6.9% but still holds nearly 2 million shares, with JNJ remaining its third‑largest holding, roughly 2.1% of the portfolio and about 0.08% of J&J’s outstanding shares.
Across these reports, institutional ownership is consistently cited around 69–70% of JNJ’s float, underscoring its status as a core holding for large, long‑term investors. [21]
8. Talc Litigation: Massive Overhang, But No New Shock Today
Despite the positive momentum, talc‑related litigation remains one of the biggest long‑term risks for Johnson & Johnson.
Legal resources tracking the litigation estimate that roughly 67,000 talc cases are pending in federal court as of November 2025, consolidated largely in MDL 2738 in New Jersey. [22] Plaintiffs allege that long‑term use of talc‑based products like Johnson’s Baby Powder caused ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, and that J&J failed to adequately warn consumers. [23]
A recent November update from one litigation site notes: [24]
- A $20 million verdict in a Florida mesothelioma trial on November 4, 2025
- Prior multi‑million‑dollar verdicts in Massachusetts and Oregon
- Ongoing settlement negotiations and court‑ordered mediation around a multi‑billion‑dollar global resolution
None of this is new news specifically for November 25, but the cumulative legal overhang is material. J&J has tried multiple times to resolve talc liabilities through a subsidiary bankruptcy structure, only to face setbacks in federal appeals courts. Litigation updates will remain a key risk factor for JNJ’s valuation, especially if future verdicts or settlements materially exceed current market expectations.
9. How Wall Street Sees JNJ Stock Today
Putting everything together—dividends, pipeline, litigation and valuation—Wall Street research generally paints JNJ as a defensive growth stock:
- Consensus rating: “Moderate Buy” across more than two dozen analysts
- Average target price: about $201, now slightly below the current share price after the recent rally
- Major banks such as Goldman Sachs and Royal Bank of Canada have raised targets into the low‑$200s, with Goldman now at $212 and RBC near $209, while others remain more neutral. [25]
Articles from MarketBeat and other outlets highlight JNJ as one of a handful of “smart defensive stocks” for an uneasy macro environment—thanks to its stable cash flows, strong balance sheet, robust dividend track record and now a more focused portfolio after prior consumer‑health and orthopaedics separations. [26]
10. What to Watch Next After November 25, 2025
For investors tracking JNJ after today’s ex‑dividend date, key catalysts include:
- Integration and development of Halda Therapeutics
- Progress of HLD‑0915 in prostate cancer clinical trials
- Updates on broader RIPTAC™ pipeline programs
- Caplyta’s commercial ramp in MDD
- Prescription growth trends in 2026
- Additional label expansions in neuropsychiatric conditions
- Future earnings and guidance updates
- Management has signaled it will provide 2026 guidance commentary around its fourth‑quarter earnings call in January 2026, including the Halda dilution impact. [27]
- Talc litigation developments
- Any movement toward a global settlement or major new verdicts
- Court decisions affecting J&J’s ability to ring‑fence liabilities
- Analyst and institutional positioning
- Whether more price‑target upgrades follow the recent rally
- Changes in ownership among large asset managers if the stock continues to trade above consensus value estimates
Bottom Line
On November 25, 2025, Johnson & Johnson stock sits in a powerful but finely balanced position:
- Positive forces: a secure and growing dividend, bullish options activity, upgraded sales guidance, a big bet on Halda’s oncology platform and a larger role for Caplyta in depression treatment.
- Offsetting risks: a rich valuation versus its own history and a massive, still‑unresolved talc litigation overhang that could take years to fully resolve.
For long‑term investors, JNJ remains a classic defensive healthcare compounder—but today’s near‑record price means that future returns will depend heavily on how successfully the company executes on its new growth platforms while navigating the legal minefield.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Anyone considering JNJ stock should evaluate their own risk tolerance, time horizon and financial situation, or consult a qualified financial adviser.
References
1. www.marketbeat.com, 2. www.fool.com, 3. www.marketbeat.com, 4. www.jnj.com, 5. www.marketbeat.com, 6. news.futunn.com, 7. www.marketbeat.com, 8. www.marketbeat.com, 9. www.investor.jnj.com, 10. www.nasdaq.com, 11. www.investor.jnj.com, 12. www.jnj.com, 13. www.jnj.com, 14. www.jnj.com, 15. www.jnj.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.reuters.com, 18. www.reuters.com, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. www.marketbeat.com, 21. www.marketbeat.com, 22. www.drugwatch.com, 23. www.drugwatch.com, 24. www.lawsuit-information-center.com, 25. www.marketbeat.com, 26. www.marketbeat.com, 27. www.jnj.com
