Topic: How To Invest

Q: Dear Pat: Johnson & Johnson seems to be a widely recommended stock. Please, may I have your analysis?

Article Excerpt

A: Johnson & Johnson, $135.11, symbol JNJ on New York (Shares outstanding: 2.7 billion; Market cap: $364.8 billion; www.jnj.com), operates through three major businesses: Pharmaceutical (47% of revenue) makes anti-infective, antipsychotic, contraceptive, dermatological and gastrointestinal drugs; Medical devices and diagnostics (35%) sells equipment for joint reconstruction and managing circulatory diseases; Consumer (18%) makes over-the-counter products such as Johnson’s baby-care items, Band-Aid bandages, Tylenol and Motrin painkillers, Listerine mouthwash and Neutrogena skin cream. Johnson & Johnson’s revenue rose 4.2%, from $71.3 billion in 2013 to $74.3 billion in 2014. Revenue dropped 5.7%, to $70.1 billion in 2015 before rising 2.6% to $71.9 billion for 2016. In 2017, revenue rose again, by 6.4% to $76.5 billion. Johnson & Johnson’s earnings per share rose 18.5%, from $4.81 in 2013 to $5.70 in 2014. Profit then slipped 3.9% to $5.48 a share in 2015 before rebounding 8.2% to $5.93 in 2016. In 2017, earnings per share were only $0.47 due to a $13.6 billion charge associated with the new…