Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) shares finished Monday, December 15, 2025 higher and held modest gains in extended trading — a notable showing for a defensive blue chip as investors brace for a data-heavy week and shifting rate expectations.
JNJ closed at $214.17 (+1.22%) and traded around $214.99 in after-hours (+0.38%) as of 7:15 p.m. ET. During the regular session, the stock moved between $209.01 and $215.19 on roughly 8.4 million shares. [1]
In the broader market, U.S. stocks ended slightly lower on Monday as investors positioned for major economic releases later this week. [2]
What moved Johnson & Johnson stock after the bell: the FDA’s “National Priority Voucher” headline
The biggest Johnson & Johnson-specific catalyst circulating into and after the close was a rare regulatory tailwind: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration awarded a national priority voucher tied to teclistamab (Tecvayli) in combination with daratumumab for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. [3]
This voucher is part of the FDA’s Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) pilot program, which the agency says is designed to accelerate review for products aligned with national health priorities. In its announcement, the FDA said voucher recipients get enhanced communication with FDA review teams and that review decisions are targeted for completion within 1–2 months after an application is submitted. [4]
Why it matters for investors: JNJ is already a bellwether name in “Innovative Medicine” and oncology, and fast-track regulatory mechanisms can change the timing of clinical-to-commercial milestones — a key driver of sentiment even for mega-caps.
The clinical data behind the voucher: MajesTEC-3 and why it grabbed attention
Both the FDA and Johnson & Johnson pointed to Phase 3 MajesTEC-3 results as the basis for the voucher. The FDA said the “Tec-Dara” regimen showed significant improvements in both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) versus standard regimens in patients previously treated with one to three prior lines of therapy, and noted that more than 80% of recipients were progression-free at three years. [5]
Specialty oncology coverage provided additional color on the magnitude of the results. OncLive reported that in MajesTEC-3, median PFS was not reached in the Tecvayli + daratumumab arm versus 18.1 months in the control arm, with a reported hazard ratio of 0.17, alongside strong response-rate metrics. [6]
Johnson & Johnson also stated that the FDA granted the combination a Breakthrough Therapy Designation and that the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) is being reviewed through the Real-Time Oncology Review (RTOR) program. [7]
A rare FDA quote that traders noticed
Part of what made Monday’s voucher story unusually marketable was the FDA’s own framing. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency moved quickly after seeing the results, adding: “When a treatment demonstrates outstanding trial results, we have a duty to patients to move swiftly.” [8]
Whether or not that statement changes fundamentals overnight, it can influence how the Street thinks about regulatory velocity — especially for large-cap pharma where “time-to-decision” can swing near-term narratives.
What Wall Street forecasts are saying about JNJ stock now
Even after the recent move higher, published consensus snapshots show analysts remain mixed on near-term upside at current levels — a common setup when a stock rallies toward (or above) average published targets.
- StockAnalysis shows 15 analysts with a consensus “Buy” rating and an average price target of $205.07, with targets ranging from $153 to $232. With JNJ closing at $214.17, that specific consensus average implies modest downside over the next year, while the high target still suggests upside. [9]
- MarketBeat also flagged Monday’s price action and summarized a Hold view from Bank of America (BofA), while listing its own consensus target set. [10]
Notable “today” analyst action: StockAnalysis lists BofA Securities (Tim Anderson) as maintaining a Hold rating but raising its price target from $204 to $220 on Dec. 15, 2025 — a move that aligns with the stock’s strength into year-end. [11]
Earnings and revenue expectations (as tracked by consensus aggregators)
For investors focused on the next earnings cycle and 2026 setup, StockAnalysis’ compiled analyst financial forecast data shows:
- Revenue “this year” (FY 2025): $94.69B (vs. $88.82B prior year)
- Revenue “next year” (FY 2026): $99.68B
- EPS “this year” (FY 2025): 10.97
- EPS “next year” (FY 2026): 11.65 [12]
(As always, these are third-party consensus estimates and can shift quickly with guidance changes, litigation updates, FX moves, or major pipeline news.)
Another headline investors may be weighing: the talc verdict
While the FDA voucher story leans positive, litigation remains a persistent overhang for Johnson & Johnson — and it resurfaced in a big way Monday.
Reuters reported that a California jury awarded $40 million to two women in a baby powder ovarian-cancer case, and cited a Johnson & Johnson litigation executive saying the company plans to appeal and expects to prevail. Reuters also noted the company faces tens of thousands of talc-related claims and summarized the broader procedural history around J&J’s prior bankruptcy strategy attempts to resolve the litigation. [13]
For traders, this is the kind of headline that can matter even on “good news” days, because it affects risk perception, not just product-cycle optimism.
What to know before the stock market opens Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025
With JNJ trading only slightly higher after hours, the bigger driver into Tuesday’s open may be macro volatility — especially because several releases hit before the opening bell.
1) 8:30 a.m. ET: the U.S. Jobs Report (Employment Situation)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics schedule shows the Employment Situation for November 2025 is set for Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 8:30 a.m. ET. [14]
But this one comes with an asterisk: Reuters reported that a historic U.S. government shutdown disrupted data collection, creating unusual gaps and delays, including missing elements in labor-market and inflation series. Reuters also noted economists’ expectations for the delayed figures and flagged that some standard measures may be incomplete. [15]
Why JNJ investors should care: As a defensive, dividend-oriented healthcare name, Johnson & Johnson can be sensitive to sudden changes in rate-cut expectations and Treasury yields — often driven first by jobs and inflation data.
2) Other pre-market data releases (also before the bell)
The New York Fed’s economic calendar lists additional Tuesday morning releases (all Eastern Time), including:
- Imports and Exports (8:30 a.m.)
- New Residential Construction (8:30 a.m.)
- Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization (9:15 a.m.) [16]
Even if none of these are “JNJ-specific,” they can move index futures and sector rotation — which matters when a stock is already extended after a strong run.
3) Watch for follow-through on the FDA voucher story
The voucher headline is fresh, and follow-on analyst notes (especially from large banks) can sometimes drive premarket chatter more than the initial press release.
Key practical questions the market will likely focus on next:
- How quickly the sBLA review could conclude under RTOR and the voucher framework. [17]
- What (if anything) the FDA’s “proactive” posture signals for other late-stage oncology assets across big pharma. [18]
4) The next major company catalyst: JNJ’s Q4 earnings date is set
Johnson & Johnson announced it will host its fourth-quarter results conference call on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET, with the press release planned for about 6:45 a.m. ET that morning. [19]
That’s not a “tomorrow” catalyst — but it’s the next clear date on the calendar that can reset guidance expectations, especially after a strong year-end move.
Bottom line for Tuesday’s open
Johnson & Johnson stock ended Dec. 15 on a firm note and stayed slightly higher after hours, supported by a high-visibility FDA voucher tied to Tecvayli + daratumumab and a same-day price-target raise from BofA. [20]
Before Tuesday’s opening bell, however, the market’s center of gravity may shift to 8:30 a.m. ET jobs data and other macro releases — particularly because shutdown-driven delays and data gaps are raising uncertainty around the numbers themselves. [21]
References
1. stockanalysis.com, 2. www.tradingview.com, 3. www.fda.gov, 4. www.fda.gov, 5. www.fda.gov, 6. www.onclive.com, 7. www.jnj.com, 8. www.fda.gov, 9. stockanalysis.com, 10. www.marketbeat.com, 11. stockanalysis.com, 12. stockanalysis.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. www.bls.gov, 15. www.reuters.com, 16. www.newyorkfed.org, 17. www.jnj.com, 18. www.fda.gov, 19. www.jnj.com, 20. stockanalysis.com, 21. www.bls.gov
