Johnson & Johnson Forecast Tops Expectations Despite Drug Pricing Headwind

Core Viewpoint - Johnson & Johnson has provided a sales and profit guidance for the current year that surpasses Wall Street expectations, despite anticipating a significant financial impact from a recent drug pricing agreement with the U.S. government [1][3]. Group 1: Financial Guidance - The company expects current-year sales to be between $100 billion and $101 billion, exceeding consensus estimates of $98.88 billion [4]. - Full-year earnings are projected to be between $11.43 and $11.63 per share, compared to expectations of $11.45 [4]. Group 2: Recent Developments - Johnson & Johnson agreed to lower drug prices for U.S. consumers in exchange for exemptions from broad tariffs, aligning with actions taken by other major pharmaceutical companies [2]. - This initiative is part of broader efforts by the U.S. government to reduce drug costs, particularly in the lead-up to the midterm elections [2]. Group 3: Financial Performance - For the fourth quarter, the company reported revenue of $24.56 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 9.1% and surpassing projections of $24.15 billion [4]. - The strong performance was driven by high demand for medical technology products and a 27% increase in sales of the Darzalex blood cancer treatment [4]. Group 4: Earnings Performance - Adjusted earnings per share reached $2.46, exceeding analyst estimates of $2.04, despite a decline in sales of the psoriasis drug Stelara due to rising biosimilar competition [5].