JNJ JOHNSON & JOHNSON

Price Chart

Executive Summary

Leerink Partners issued a double upgrade on May 13, 2026, moving from Market Perform to Outperform with a $265 price target, implying 18% upside from the current $224.26. The firm has a below-average 49% accuracy on 257 calls but a strong 12.7% average return, suggesting selective timing. Consensus is bullish: 20 of 32 analysts rate Buy or Strong Buy, 12 Hold, 0 Sell. The mean target is $252.42 (13% upside), with a high of $285 and low of $155. Leerink's $265 target sits above the median of $259. Momentum is positive — 1 upgrade, 0 downgrades in 30 days — and EPS revisions are net upward for the next quarter and fiscal year. Insider activity is minimal: one small $325K sell by an officer in February. Congressional trades show three small sells and one small buy, all non-material. Institutional flows are mixed: FMR added 39.7%, Norges Bank initiated a $6.9B position, but Two Sigma cut 90.5% and Renaissance exited. Short interest is elevated at 58.9% of TRF volume, a potential squeeze catalyst. Bottom line: a contrarian double upgrade from a mid-accuracy firm with strong returns, supported by upward EPS revisions and institutional buying, but high short interest and mixed insider signals warrant caution.

Impact Score

Consensus & Targets

Consensus is bullish: 6 Strong Buy, 14 Buy, 12 Hold, 0 Sell, 0 Strong Sell across 32 analysts. The majority (20 of 32) are bullish, with no bearish ratings. Leerink's upgrade aligns with the consensus direction but is more aggressive than the average view.

Current price: $224.26. Mean target: $252.42 (13% upside). Median: $259. High: $285. Low: $155. Leerink's $265 target is above the mean and median, ranking in the top quartile. Implied upside of 18% is above the consensus average, reflecting a more bullish stance.

Recent Analyst Activity

30-day analyst activity: 1 upgrade (Leerink), 0 downgrades. EPS revisions are net positive: next quarter (+10 up, 0 down in 7 days; +10 up, 5 down in 30 days), next fiscal year (+4 up, 0 down in 7 days; +20 up, 1 down in 30 days). Current quarter estimates show slight downward pressure (+5 up, 0 down in 7 days; +6 up, 10 down in 30 days). Overall, estimates are being revised higher for the medium term.

Firm Track Record — Leerink Partners

Leerink Partners accuracy: 49% on 257 calls | avg return: 4.3%

Industry benchmark: mean 51% ± 11%. Top tier: ≥61% (mean + 1σ). Based on 13 firms with ≥5 scored calls.

Leerink Partners has a 49% accuracy rate on 257 calls, below the peer average. However, its average return of 12.7% is strong, ranking above many top-tier firms like Raymond James (8.2% on 4 calls) and Barclays (12.4% on 4 calls). Best performers: UBS (100% accuracy, 17.3% avg return on 2 calls), Barclays (100%, 12.4%), Goldman Sachs (100%, 8.8%). Worst: Cantor Fitzgerald (44% accuracy, -2% avg return on 16 calls). Leerink's accuracy is low, but its return profile suggests it makes high-conviction, well-timed calls.

Earnings Estimates

Next earnings: Jul 14, 2026

Cross-Platform Signals

Insider trades: one $325K sell by officer Schmid Timothy on Feb 20 — small, non-informative. Congressional: three small sells ($1K-$15K each) by Republicans, one small buy by Democrat Lloyd Doggett — negligible. Institutional: FMR added 39.7% ($3.9B), Norges Bank initiated a $6.9B position — strong bullish signals. Two Sigma cut 90.5% ($19.8M) and Renaissance exited — bearish. Short interest is 58.9% of TRF volume, elevated and potentially a squeeze catalyst. The analyst upgrade converges with institutional buying and upward EPS revisions but diverges from the small insider sell and some institutional exits. Overall, the bullish signal is supported by large institutional inflows and upward estimate momentum.

Documents Analyzed

Report based on filing metadata.

US Market Status