Topic: How To Invest

Q: Dear Pat: Johnson & Johnson seems to be one of those stocks I regularly hear about. Please, may I have your analysis?

Article Excerpt

A: Johnson & Johnson, $124.44, symbol JNJ on New York (Shares outstanding: 2.7 billion; Market cap: $337.1 billion; www.jnj.com), operates through three major businesses: Pharmaceutical (47% of revenue) makes anti-infective, antipsychotic, contraceptive, dermatological and gastrointestinal drugs; Medical devices and diagnostics (35%) sells equipment for joint reconstruction and managing circulatory diseases; Consumer (18%) makes over-the-counter products such as Johnson’s baby-care items, Band-Aid bandages, Tylenol and Motrin painkillers, Listerine mouthwash and Neutrogena skin cream. Partly due to acquisitions, the company’s revenue rose 3.4%, from $67.2 billion in 2012 to $71.3 billion in 2013. Revenue again rose in 2014, to $74.3 billion before falling to $70.1 billion in 2015. In June 2016, Johnson & Johnson acquired beauty-products firm Vogue International for $3.3 billion. Vogue’s annual revenue—from hair and personal-care brands such as OGX, Proganix and Maui Moisture—is about $300 million. Instead of relying on traditional advertising, Vogue has successfully used colourful packaging to help its products stand out on store shelves and to drive sales. Its product line complements…