Johnson & Johnson Declares $1.30 Q1 2026 Per-Share Dividend Payable March 10
Johnson & Johnson declared a $1.30 per share cash dividend for the first quarter of 2026. The dividend will be paid on March 10, 2026 to shareholders of record as of February 24, 2026, with an ex-dividend date of February 24, 2026.
1. Virginia Retirement Systems Boosts Stake by 12.3%
In its latest SEC filing, Virginia Retirement Systems et al. disclosed a 12.3% increase in its position in Johnson & Johnson during the third quarter. The fund added 127,100 shares to bring its total stake to 1,158,903 shares, making J&J its ninth largest holding and representing 1.4% of the fund’s overall portfolio. At quarter end, the holding was valued at $214.9 million, underscoring continued confidence in the healthcare conglomerate’s diversified pharmaceuticals, medical devices and consumer health operations.
2. Institutional Ownership Trends Highlight Confidence
Recent disclosures reveal that hedge funds and other institutional investors collectively own 69.55% of Johnson & Johnson’s outstanding shares. Smaller asset managers such as Evolution Wealth Management, Clayton Financial Group and GFG Capital initiated new positions in the second and third quarters, while Signature Resources Capital Management more than tripled its holding to 254 shares. Semmax Financial Advisors also expanded its stake by 55%, signaling broad-based support from a diverse set of professional investors.
3. Dividend Policy and Financial Metrics Affirm Stability
Johnson & Johnson recently declared its quarterly dividend of $1.30 per share, payable on March 10 to shareholders of record as of February 24. This marks a 63rd consecutive year of annual dividend increases and implies an annualized payout of $5.20 per share. The company reported third-quarter revenue of $24.02 billion and net margin of 27.26%, with return on equity at 32.73%. As of the same period, debt-to-equity stood at 0.50, and free cash flow generation of $14 billion comfortably covered the $9.3 billion dividend outlay.
4. Analyst Consensus Signals Moderate Buy
Following the third-quarter results, four analysts assigned a Strong Buy rating to Johnson & Johnson, fourteen rated it as a Buy and nine as a Hold. Consensus estimates from equity research platforms forecast full-year earnings per share of 10.58, while the average price target stands at 211.25. Recent target adjustments include an increase by Bank of America from 204 to 220 and by Barclays from 197 to 217, reflecting optimism around the company’s R&D pipeline and stable consumer health revenues.