New York, Feb 21, 2026, 13:06 EST — The market has shut its doors.
- The stock wrapped up Friday off 1.8%, closing at $242.49.
- J&J is lining up a possible sale of DePuy Synthes, Reuters said, with the deal value potentially exceeding $20 billion.
- J&J pushed out fresh long-term data for Tremfya this Saturday, dropping the update before ECCO 2026. Investors are zeroed in on what management says in early March, and again on April 14.
Johnson & Johnson is weighing a sale of its DePuy Synthes orthopedics division that could fetch more than $20 billion, according to a source familiar with the situation, speaking to Reuters on Thursday. The company hasn’t commented yet. This potential sale marks a pivot from J&J’s previously outlined plan to spin off DePuy Synthes over the next 18 to 24 months. CFO Joe Wolk previously indicated no major updates would come before mid-2026. DePuy pulled in $9.3 billion in sales for 2025 and has faced thousands of hip implant lawsuits, Reuters noted.
DePuy remains a key part of J&J’s medical devices division as the company shifts focus toward more predictable growth and a streamlined setup. With Saturday keeping U.S. markets shut, investors will get their first unfiltered look at sentiment when trading kicks off again on Monday, Feb. 23.
Johnson & Johnson finished the day at $242.49, shedding $4.40. Shares kicked off trading at $246.47, then ranged between $240.43 and $246.90. While the S&P 500 climbed 0.69%, J&J failed to join the move higher—Pfizer slipped 0.78%, and AbbVie managed a 0.21% gain, according to MarketWatch data.
Rumors about major medtech carve-outs often spark off even the faintest whiff of confirmation. Markets are hungry for any detail that locks in the timeline. Investors are also scanning for signs that buyout firms might swallow the legal and operational headaches tied to older implant lines.
DePuy, which produces hip, knee, and shoulder implants, goes up against Stryker and Zimmer Biomet. Selling the unit could tighten J&J’s MedTech priorities, though it may leave investors wondering about future growth minus a flagship device brand.
J&J reported Saturday that its immunology drug Tremfya delivered clinical remission for 80.8% of ulcerative colitis patients at week 140, according to new data from the QUASAR long-term extension study. “The data strengthen confidence in the long-term use of TREMFYA,” said study investigator Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet, a paid consultant for the company. Esi Lamousé-Smith, a J&J executive, pointed to “endoscopic outcomes”—remission confirmed via scope exam—as the focus ahead of ECCO 2026 presentations. JNJ.com
J&J shares don’t usually move much on clinical news alone, yet each update adds another piece to the debate over whether fresh therapies will offset aging blockbusters. The stock, often seen as a healthcare bellwether, can react to these pipeline hints—especially when investors are already rethinking the portfolio mix.
The DePuy process is still at an early stage and might not result in a sale; if price expectations shift, talks could revert to a spin-off. Buyers, for their part, are pushing for discounts or added legal safeguards. Broader litigation risk remains for J&J, which can shake sentiment fast.
Management’s next public outings: a fireside chat at the TD Cowen 46th Annual Health Care Conference on March 3, then a Barclays Global Healthcare Conference presentation March 10. DePuy questions will probably surface, even if the company sticks to its usual “no update” line. Johnson Johnson Investor Relations
April 14 is circled for J&J: that’s when the company drops its first-quarter numbers and gets on the line with investors at 8:30 a.m. ET. Anyone watching JNJ shares is marking that as the moment to either get some clarity on strategy, or—possibly—see the company hold the line on details.
