J&J Stock Falls Amid Talc Litigation and Strong Dollar

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) exceeded fourth-quarter expectations with strong sales in its cancer treatment segment, particularly Darzalex, which contributed to a 5.3% revenue increase to $22.5 billion. Despite beating Wall Street forecasts, J&J's stock declined due to concerns over a stronger dollar and ongoing litigation related to talc products. The company, valued at about $348 billion, is expanding its pharmaceutical portfolio, highlighted by a $14.6 billion acquisition of Intra-Cellular Therapies to enhance its psychiatric drug offerings. J&J's strategic focus on biopharma follows its spin-off of the consumer healthcare business Kenvue. While the company anticipates 2025 sales in the range of $90.9 billion to $91.7 billion, challenges such as patent expirations and competitive pressures from generics remain. Additionally, international sales faced a negative currency impact, although domestic sales saw a significant increase.