New York, Feb 13, 2026, 15:32 EST — Regular session
- Johnson & Johnson shares down about 0.4% in afternoon trade
- Pennsylvania jury awards $250,000 in latest talc cancer trial
- Traders look to more talc cases and the company’s April 14 results call
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) shares edged lower on Friday after a Pennsylvania jury found the company liable in the latest trial tied to its talc-based baby powder, keeping a legal overhang in focus. The stock was down $1.05, or about 0.4%, at $243.50, after trading between $242.69 and $244.83.
The dollars in this one case are not big for a company of J&J’s size. But investors have treated each talc courtroom outcome as a quick test of momentum — whether juries keep handing plaintiffs punitive awards and how hard it may be to put the litigation behind it.
A jury in Philadelphia awarded $250,000 to the family of a woman who alleged J&J’s talc-based baby powder caused ovarian cancer, including $200,000 in punitive damages, which are meant to punish rather than compensate. J&J faces lawsuits from more than 67,000 plaintiffs over talc products and has said its products are safe; several more cases are slated for trial in coming months, after the company’s bankruptcy effort to resolve the litigation was rejected by federal courts. (Reuters)
The slip left J&J lagging the broader healthcare group on the day. The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund was up about 1.1%, while the SPDR S&P 500 ETF was little changed.
A separate filing this week also put the spotlight back on the company’s disclosures. J&J filed its annual report for the year ended Dec. 28, 2025, and also filed an automatic shelf registration statement — a move that can give large issuers flexibility to sell securities over time, not necessarily right away. (SEC)
J&J has pushed back hard on the litigation in public settings. On its January earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Joseph Wolk told analysts, “We will continue to aggressively fight in the court system each and every one of these meritless claims.” (Q4 Capital)
Still, the risk is simple: courtroom outcomes are uneven and can swing sentiment quickly, even when the headline award is small. A run of larger verdicts — or setbacks on appeal — could lift estimates for settlement costs and keep a lid on the stock.
Investors will look for any company response following Friday’s verdict and for the next round of talc trial dates. On the corporate calendar, J&J has said it plans to hold its first-quarter results call on April 14. (Jnj)
