Johnson & Johnson’s Board of Directors has approved a cash dividend of $1.30 per share for the first quarter of 2026. The dividend will be payable on March 10, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 24, 2026, with an ex-dividend date of February 24. This marks the company’s 64th consecutive year of annual dividend increases, underscoring its status as a Dividend King. At the current payout, the quarterly distribution represents a 50.2% dividend-payout ratio on the $9.3 billion distributed through Q3, well covered by the $14 billion in free cash flow generated over the same period.

During the third quarter, Ascent Group LLC reduced its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 8.3%, selling 5,723 shares and ending the period with 63,449 shares, valued at approximately $11.8 million. Other institutions also made modest adjustments: Evolution Wealth Management initiated a position of roughly $27,000 in the second quarter, Clayton Financial Group added $28,000, Semmax Financial Advisors boosted its holding by 55% to 203 shares, GFG Capital invested $35,000, and Signature Resources Capital Management raised its position by 263% to 254 shares. Institutional and hedge-fund ownership remains high at around 70%.

Several brokerages have recently updated their outlooks on Johnson & Johnson. Morgan Stanley shifted to an Equal Weight stance with a new target of $197, up from $190. Guggenheim raised its target from $206 to $227 and reiterated a Buy rating. Scotiabank initiated coverage at Sector Outperform with a $230 target. BMO Capital Markets maintained an Outperform rating, and Goldman Sachs lifted its target from $213 to $240 while affirming a Buy view. Across 27 analysts, the consensus rating is Moderate Buy, with an average price target of $211.25.