New York, February 14, 2026, 10:44 EST — Market closed.
- Johnson & Johnson shares ended Friday lower after a Pennsylvania jury verdict in a talc baby powder case.
- The company said it will appeal the $250,000 award.
- U.S. markets are shut Monday for Presidents Day; trading resumes Tuesday.
Johnson & Johnson shares edged lower on Friday after a Pennsylvania jury found the company liable in the latest trial tied to its talc-based baby powder.
The verdict keeps a familiar overhang in play for investors: the company’s long-running talc litigation, which can flare up on days when there is little else on the calendar.
Even when awards are relatively small, fresh jury findings tend to reset the conversation around legal risk, timelines and the odds of a broader settlement.
Jurors in Philadelphia awarded the family of Gayle Emerson $250,000, including $200,000 in punitive damages, which are meant to punish a defendant for wrongdoing. J&J’s worldwide vice president of litigation, Erik Haas, said the company plans to appeal, calling it a “token verdict” and saying the claims were “meritless,” while plaintiffs’ lawyer Leigh O’Dell said the jury found the company’s product and conduct directly responsible for Emerson’s death. Reuters
The stock closed at $243.45 on Feb. 13, down 0.45% on the day, after trading between $242.61 and $244.95, according to Investing.com data. Shares had gained 1.53% a day earlier.
Broader U.S. stocks were little changed into the weekend, and much of big pharma finished higher, leaving J&J a modest underperformer on the session.
The talc fight also threw off a separate legal headline late Friday: Smith Law Firm, which represents about 11,500 talc clients, sued its litigation funders, accusing them of cutting off a $30 million loan tranche and trying to seize control of the cases, Reuters reported.
U.S. stock markets are closed on Monday for Presidents Day, putting the next session on Tuesday. The near-term watch is simple: any new trial scheduling, appeals activity or signs that the talc docket is speeding up.
Beyond court updates, J&J is scheduled to speak at the TD Cowen health-care conference on March 3, according to its investor events calendar, a forum where investors often press for clarity on legal exposure and the 2026 outlook.
But the Pennsylvania award was small by talc-trial standards, and verdicts can shrink on appeal or get tossed altogether. The risk is that a run of larger punitive awards — or a court ruling that accelerates federal trials — forces the market to price the tail risk faster.
The next fixed catalyst is the company’s first-quarter results and conference call on April 14. Until then, headlines from courtrooms are likely to keep tugging at the stock on otherwise quiet days.
