JNJ
Stifel says J&J still has room to run
Johnson & Johnson just got a little extra love from Stifel, which raised its price target to $250 from $220 and kept a Hold rating in place. Translation: not exactly a fireworks upgrade, but enough to say the quarter impressed.
What got the bankers nodding?
J&J’s first-quarter numbers came in ahead of the crowd’s expectations:
- Sales hit $24.06 billion vs. the $23.6 billion consensus
- Adjusted EPS landed at $2.70 vs. $2.68 expected
Those are small beats, sure, but in mega-cap land, small beats can still matter. Investors tend to treat J&J like the stock-market version of a household appliance: maybe not exciting, but you want it working when the lights go out.
Why this matters for your portfolio
The stock is already up 61% over the past year and is sitting near its 52-week high of $251.71, so the easy money may be behind it. But a higher target from Stifel suggests the market still sees some upside left in the tank if earnings stay sturdy.
Big picture: J&J is reminding Wall Street that boring can still be beautiful — especially when it keeps beating estimates.