Axa S.A. Reduces Holdings in Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)

Axa S.A. decreased its holdings in Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) by 9.4% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 881,233 shares of the company’s stock after selling 90,941 shares during the quarter. Axa S.A.’s holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $136,591,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Atlantic Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Johnson & Johnson during the first quarter valued at approximately $32,000. GW&K Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Johnson & Johnson during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Dark Forest Capital Management LP lifted its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 1,044.4% during the fourth quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP now owns 206 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 188 shares in the last quarter. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in Johnson & Johnson during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Finally, Kepos Capital LP purchased a new position in Johnson & Johnson during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.40% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

JNJ has been the topic of several research analyst reports. TheStreet raised shares of Johnson & Johnson from a “c+” rating to a “b+” rating in a report on Monday, August 21st. Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Tuesday, May 30th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $185.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $195.00 to $186.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 31st. Atlantic Securities boosted their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $167.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, August 4th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Johnson & Johnson from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Johnson & Johnson presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $170.65.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Kathryn E. Wengel sold 12,465 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total transaction of $1,994,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,934 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,549,440. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Johnson & Johnson news, insider William Hait sold 14,698 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $172.00, for a total transaction of $2,528,056.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 87,747 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $15,092,484. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Kathryn E. Wengel sold 12,465 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total transaction of $1,994,400.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,934 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,549,440. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 47,163 shares of company stock valued at $7,928,856. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Johnson & Johnson Trading Up 0.3 %

JNJ stock opened at $160.56 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. Johnson & Johnson has a twelve month low of $150.11 and a twelve month high of $181.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $417.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.47 and a beta of 0.54. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $166.11 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $161.52.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 20th. The company reported $2.80 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.62 by $0.18. Johnson & Johnson had a net margin of 13.35% and a return on equity of 36.72%. The business had revenue of $25.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $24.63 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.59 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 6.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts anticipate that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 7th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 28th were given a dividend of $1.19 per share. This represents a $4.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.96%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 25th. Johnson & Johnson’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 96.36%.

About Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the healthcare field worldwide. The company's Consumer Health segment provides skin health/beauty products under the AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, DR. CI:LABO, NEUTROGENA, and OGX brands; baby care products under the JOHNSON'S and AVEENO Baby brands; oral care products under the LISTERINE brand; TYLENOL acetaminophen products; SUDAFED cold, flu, and allergy products; BENADRYL and ZYRTEC allergy products; MOTRIN IB ibuprofen products; NICORETTE smoking cessation products; and PEPCID acid reflux products.