Core Insights - The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) is a passively managed ETF launched on December 16, 1998, providing broad exposure to the Healthcare - Broad segment of the equity market [1] - XLV is the largest ETF in its category, with assets exceeding $40.99 billion, and aims to match the performance of the Health Care Select Sector Index [3] Fund Details - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.08%, making it the least expensive option in the healthcare ETF space, with a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.56% [5] - The fund is fully allocated to the healthcare sector, with top holdings including Eli Lilly + Co (12.97%), Johnson + Johnson, and Abbvie Inc, which together account for approximately 57.14% of total assets [6][7] Performance Metrics - As of December 16, 2025, XLV has returned approximately 14.79% year-to-date and 12.45% over the past year, with a trading range between $128.77 and $158.77 in the last 52 weeks [8] - The ETF has a beta of 0.61 and a standard deviation of 13.38% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [8] Alternatives - Other healthcare ETFs include iShares Global Healthcare ETF (IXJ) with $4.52 billion in assets and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) with $17.53 billion, each with different expense ratios [11]

Core Insights - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) has experienced a significant increase of approximately 45% in 2025, which nearly accounts for the total gains made over the past five years [1] Financial Performance - The execution and financial numbers for Johnson & Johnson have been strong, indicating a solid operational performance [1] Growth Potential - There is potential for further growth for Johnson & Johnson, suggesting that the company may continue to expand its market presence and financial performance [1]

Group 1 - Bank of America has raised Johnson & Johnson's target price from $204 to $220 while maintaining a "Neutral" rating [1]

Core Viewpoint - A California court awarded $40 million to two women who claimed their ovarian cancer was linked to prolonged use of Johnson & Johnson's talcum-based baby powder, highlighting the company's alleged knowledge of potential harm without notifying consumers [1][4]. Group 1: Court Ruling and Compensation - The Los Angeles Superior Court jury awarded a total of $40 million, with $18 million to Monica Kent and $22 million to Deborah Schultz and her husband [1][9]. - Both women reported regular use of the baby powder for approximately four decades and underwent significant medical treatments for their ovarian cancer [3]. Group 2: Company Response and Legal Strategy - Johnson & Johnson plans to appeal the ruling, expressing confidence in overturning the verdict based on their historical success in similar cases [2][10]. - The company maintains that its products are safe, asbestos-free, and do not cause cancer, despite facing over 67,000 lawsuits related to talc products [6][11]. Group 3: Historical Context and Ongoing Litigation - The attorney for the plaintiffs stated that Johnson & Johnson was aware of the potential carcinogenic nature of their product since the 1960s and accused the company of suppressing this information [4]. - Johnson & Johnson has attempted to address litigation through bankruptcy, but these attempts have been dismissed by federal courts [7]. - The company has faced substantial verdicts in similar cases, including a notable $4.69 billion award in previous trials [7][8].

Core Insights - Link Cell Therapies has officially launched from stealth mode with a $60 million Series A financing round [1][2] Group 1: Financing Details - The Series A financing was led by Johnson & Johnson through its corporate venture capital organization, Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC, Inc. [2] - Founding investors include Samsara BioCapital and Sheatree Capital, along with participation from Wing Venture Capital and other new strategic and financial investors [2]

Core Insights - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) received FDA approval for its precision therapy Akeega for a second indication in prostate cancer, specifically for BRCA2-mutated metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) [2][8] - The approval is based on the phase III AMPLITUDE study, which demonstrated a 54% reduction in the risk of radiographic progression or death with the Akeega-prednisone combination [3][8] - JNJ aims to achieve $50 billion in oncology sales by the end of the decade, with oncology currently accounting for approximately 27% of its total revenues [9][11] Drug Approval and Efficacy - Akeega combines the PARP inhibitor niraparib and the CYP17 inhibitor abiraterone acetate, marking the first FDA-approved precision medicine combination for BRCA2m mCSPC [3][5] - The drug's use has been expanded to an earlier stage of the disease, following its previous approval for BRCA-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in 2023 [4][8] Financial Performance and Growth Strategy - JNJ's oncology sales rose nearly 21% year over year in the first nine months to $18.52 billion, driven by strong market growth and key products [9] - The company has seen its stock rise 46% this year, outperforming the industry average growth of 16% [6] - JNJ is actively building its oncology pipeline through acquisitions, including a recent agreement to acquire Halda Therapeutics for $3.05 billion [13] Market Position and Future Outlook - The oncology segment's growth is supported by new drug launches, contributing significantly to revenue increases [10][12] - JNJ's ambitious target of $50 billion in oncology sales requires more than doubling its sales from 2024 levels, reflecting confidence in its marketed cancer drugs and pipeline [11][12]

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted a national priority voucher to Johnson & Johnson for its treatment targeting a specific type of blood cancer, indicating a significant advancement in the company's oncology portfolio [1] Group 1 - The national priority voucher is a mechanism that allows expedited review and approval for drugs that address unmet medical needs, highlighting the importance of Johnson & Johnson's new treatment in the market [1] - This approval adds to the total number of products that have received such vouchers, reflecting the ongoing innovation and development within the pharmaceutical industry [1]

Investors often turn to recommendations made by Wall Street analysts before making a Buy, Sell, or Hold decision about a stock. While media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm employed (or sell-side) analysts often affect a stock's price, do they really matter?Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.Johnson & Johnson currently has an ...

Market Overview - The U.S. stock markets ended the week mostly lower, with the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 slipping by 1.49% and 0.28% respectively due to a sharp selloff in tech stocks [1] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.51% as investors rotated toward value and traditional sectors [1] Federal Reserve Actions - The Federal Reserve cut its key overnight borrowing rate by a quarter-percentage-point, now in the range of 3.5% to 3.75% [2] - This decision was influenced by signs of gradually cooling inflation, aimed at supporting the labor market and stimulating economic growth [2] - The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits surged to a 4.5-year high of 236,000, indicating a sharp deterioration in the jobs market [2] Stock Performance and Recommendations - Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) shares gained 43.9% since being upgraded to Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) on October 13, outperforming the S&P 500's 4.4% increase [3][6] - The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited (NTB) returned 22.7% since its upgrade to Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) on October 7, compared to the S&P 500's 1.5% increase [4] - Western Digital Corporation (WDC) shares advanced 52.8% since its upgrade to Outperform on October 13, significantly beating the S&P 500's 4.4% increase [7] Portfolio Performance - A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank 1 stocks returned +14.3% in 2025, slightly underperforming the S&P 500 index's +14.9% [11] - The Zacks Model Portfolio has outperformed the S&P index by more than 12 percentage points since 1988, with an annualized average return of +23.9% compared to +11.5% for the S&P 500 index [14] Sector-Specific Stocks - Cencora, Inc. (COR) and Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) returned 18.7% and 18.6% respectively over the past 12 weeks [15] - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) returned 19.3% over the past 12 weeks, benefiting from investor demand for quality dividend stocks [19]

Core Viewpoint - A California jury awarded $40 million to two women who claimed that long-term use of Johnson & Johnson's baby powder led to their ovarian cancer, marking a significant legal development for the company [1][2]. Group 1: Legal Outcome - The jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $18 million to Monica Kent and $22 million to Deborah Schultz and her husband, after determining that the company was aware of the potential harm of its talc-based products for years [3]. - Kent was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014, while Schultz received her diagnosis in 2018 [3]. Group 2: Company Response - Johnson & Johnson plans to appeal the jury's decision regarding both liability and compensatory damages [2]. - The company maintains that its products are safe and do not cause cancer, despite facing lawsuits from over 67,000 individuals claiming cancer development due to its talc products [6]. Group 3: Historical Context - The attorney for the plaintiffs stated that Johnson & Johnson had known since the 1960s about the potential cancer risks associated with its talc products [4]. - Johnson & Johnson ceased selling talc-based baby powder in the US in 2020 and ended global sales in 2023, transitioning to a cornstarch-based formula [6]. Group 4: Defense Arguments - Johnson & Johnson's attorney argued that the link between talc and cancer is not supported by major US health authorities and that no studies have shown talc traveling from the skin to reproductive organs [5].