Hudson Edge Cuts Stake in Johnson & Johnson by 18%
Snack-Sized Version:
Hudson Edge Investment Partners slashed its Johnson & Johnson stake by 18.1% in the first quarter, selling nearly 9,000 shares while keeping the stock as its 17th largest holding. Johnson & Johnson remains a key player in Hudson Edge’s portfolio, valued at over $6.6 million despite the trim. Several other institutional investors shuffled their J&J holdings, reflecting a lively dance on Wall Street. Analysts are split, doling out ratings from “hold” to “strong-buy,” with an average target price of $170.88. The company’s quarterly earnings outperformed estimates with $2.77 per share, and it even sweetened its dividend to $1.30 per share. Johnson & Johnson’s stock trades near $155, maintaining steady growth in a market full of cautious optimism.
Read the Full Meal:
Hudson Edge Investment Partners reduced its position in Johnson & Johnson by 18.1% during the first quarter, selling nearly 8,851 shares but still holding over 40,000 shares worth more than $6.6 million. This made Johnson & Johnson their 17th largest portfolio holding, underscoring its continued importance despite the sell-off. Other institutional investors also adjusted their stakes, with some buying modestly and others trimming, reflecting a mixed sentiment about the stock’s short-term prospects.
Several analysts issued updated ratings on the company, showing no shortage of opinions. Bank of America dropped its target price slightly and called it neutral, while Morgan Stanley nudged its target upward but maintained an equal-weight view. Meanwhile, some analysts, including Wall Street Zen and RBC, remain bullish, calling for strong buys and outperforming potential. The consensus rating across firms lands at a moderate buy, with an average price target of about $170.88. Clearly, the Street can’t quite agree, but no one is running for the hills yet.
Johnson & Johnson’s performance keeps giving analysts something to chew on. Its latest quarterly earnings came in at $2.77 per share, beating estimates by $0.18 and showcasing solid operational efficiency. Revenue also surpassed expectations at $21.89 billion, proving the company can still deliver results even amid cautious investor activity. Its robust return on equity at over 33% and a net margin north of 24% add to its reputation as a dependable, if not overly flashy, blue chip.
The company also rewarded shareholders with a dividend increase, bumping its quarterly payout to $1.30 per share, a 3.35% annual yield. Its balance sheet stays sturdy, with low debt and healthy liquidity ratios, making it an appealing hold for conservative investors. Trading around $155, the stock hovers near its moving averages, showing stability without much drama. Overall, Johnson & Johnson continues to strut its dependable-but-not-daring personality in a market that’s always thirsty for growth — and sometimes even a little boring is good.