Johnson & Johnson

New York, March 2, 2026, 15:28 EST — Regular session

• Johnson & Johnson dropped roughly 0.2% during afternoon trading.
• The FDA has finalized three Class I recalls for specific Impella RP heart pumps, following reports of sensor drift tied to 22 injuries.
• The battle over control of sections of J&J’s talc lawsuits has resurfaced, drawing attention just before management’s scheduled appearance on Tuesday.

Johnson & Johnson slipped to $247.98 in Monday afternoon action, following fresh U.S. device-recall alerts and a new development in its talc lawsuit saga. Shares moved in a narrow $247.07 to $248.91 range, with the broader market largely unchanged.

The size of the move was overshadowed by the jumble of risks showing up on screens. Traders are picking apart whether this is just a device “correction” that stays put, or if there’s potential for broader trouble. Legal headlines aren’t helping, either — any shift in court proceedings could shuffle how settlements and trial timelines play out.

Johnson & Johnson MedTech’s Impella RP heart-pump line is under fresh scrutiny. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has made final three recalls covering the Impella RP, Impella RP with SmartAssist, and Impella RP Flex with SmartAssist models, after malfunctioning differential pressure (dP) sensors were linked to potentially faulty readings, according to Cardiovascular Business. The publication noted the agency tagged these as Class I recalls — its most severe category — since failure to follow updated instructions could lead to serious injury or death. FDA and the company have tied the sensor problem to 22 injuries, but no reported deaths. 1

According to the FDA’s recall database, the notices went up Feb. 27 and describe steps that stop short of pulling devices from the field. Abiomed—the device maker J&J bought—advised customers to keep using the impacted units, but to watch patients closely with approved diagnostics, confirm pump placement using imaging, and use the flow-rate ranges in the instructions for use instead of relying on the controller’s on-screen readings. 2

Back in February, the FDA flagged an issue dubbed “sensor drift” that affects the Automated Impella Controller, warning it could lead to off-base pump flow data and misleading placement signals. Abiomed had logged 22 serious injuries tied to the glitch as of Jan. 15, according to the agency, but there were no deaths. The sensor problem, the FDA added, doesn’t impact the device’s hemodynamic support function. 3

Bloomberg Law is out with word that the U.S. District Court in New Jersey has set a conference for Tuesday to discuss Johnson & Johnson’s move to bar Beasley Allen from thousands of talc lawsuits, citing an ethics issue linked to a former J&J attorney. Erik Haas, J&J’s worldwide litigation chief, told the outlet that removing Beasley Allen “should facilitate—not impede—the progress of this proceeding.” The docket holds about 70,000 cases, Bloomberg Law noted. Elizabeth Chamblee, a University of Georgia Law School professor, said J&J “clearly” views Beasley Allen “as a hindrance.” 4

Healthcare stocks lagged. The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund slipped roughly 1.2%. Abbott Laboratories lost about 1.5%, while Medtronic managed a 0.4% gain—J&J’s move landed right between the two for the session.

Still, things can shift. What seems like a contained device-safety issue could suddenly expand—maybe after fresh FDA moves, unexpected injury reports, or shifts in how hospitals use the product. Even when an announcement hints things might “clear the air,” legal wrangling can stretch out the process.

Next up for investors: Johnson & Johnson management is slated to speak at the TD Cowen Annual Health Care Conference on Tuesday, with their session kicking off at 11:10 a.m. Eastern. Attendees will be scanning for fresh signals on MedTech risk controls and any updates on the litigation front. 5