New York, March 1, 2026, 11:36 EST — The market has closed.
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) climbed 2.0% on Friday, settling at $248.43 after reaching $248.94, matching the high end of its 52-week range. Roughly 16.4 million shares changed hands, according to company figures, as healthcare stocks found favor to close out the month.
U.S. markets are closed for the weekend, making Friday’s action the final reading on sentiment ahead of Monday’s open. The stock’s run at a new high lands as investors rethink their safe havens when the tape turns choppy.
Friday wrapped with losses on Wall Street, closing out a tough February for the main indexes. Defensive sectors saw the least damage. “This is a classic risk-off environment,” said Ryan Detrick, Carson Group’s chief market strategist, using the term traders toss around to describe moving money into safer names and cutting exposure to cyclical plays. Reuters
Big pharma names moved up. Pfizer advanced approximately 1.5%. AbbVie tacked on close to 2.1%, and Eli Lilly surged nearly 4.9%. The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund finished in positive territory.
J&J hovered near $248.51 in the after-hours session following the 4 p.m. New York close, showing little movement.
Investors are eyeing two upcoming events: management will join fireside chats at the TD Cowen 46th Annual Health Care Conference on March 3, followed by the Barclays 28th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on March 10. Both sessions are set for late morning Eastern time.
Margins and policy remain front and center, not just product lines. Back in January, the company projected 2026 profit and sales above what Wall Street was looking for, despite calling out tariff headwinds on its medical devices business and fallout from a U.S. drug-pricing deal. CEO Joaquin Duato, speaking to investors, said he expects the company’s growth to pick up in 2026 compared to 2025.
Litigation is still the wild card here. J&J is staring down more than 67,000 lawsuits tied to its talc products. Back in February, a Pennsylvania jury handed down a $250,000 award to a family who claimed the company’s baby powder was to blame for ovarian cancer. J&J says it’s appealing. “This token verdict reflects the jury’s appreciation that the claims were meritless and divorced from the science,” said litigation vice president Erik Haas. Reuters
Monday’s open will test if the defensive positioning holds up after February’s drop. Coming up Tuesday: TD Cowen hosts its fireside chat at 11:10 a.m. ET—traders are tuned in for possible changes around 2026 guidance, pipeline focus, and any new signals on legal plans.
