Johnson & Johnson stock (JNJ) rose 1.13% to close at $234.34 on Friday, continuing its positive 2026 trend with over 13% year-to-date gains. Analyst David Risinger of Leerink Partners upgraded the stock to ‘buy’ with a $265 price target, citing potential from upcoming drug launches. However, the stock has been rangebound since April amid cooling sector activity and ongoing legal challenges.
Johnson & Johnson stock (NYSE: JNJ) closed Friday’s session at $234.34, rising 1.13% and gaining 2.61 points. The pharmaceutical giant has sustained growth in 2026, rising more than 13% year-to-date.
The company has a string of medicine launches planned through 2027 and could benefit from FDA approvals. After reaching a 52-week high of $251, the stock slid to the $234 level and has remained rangebound since April.
Buying activity has cooled across the medical sector, and piling lawsuits are reasons investors are skipping JNJ. The medicine giant is fighting several cases across the United States, keeping its legal team in defensive mode.
David Risinger, Senior Research Analyst at Leerink Partners, upgraded his rating from ‘hold’ to ‘buy’ in mid-May. He wrote in a note to clients that Johnson & Johnson is still undervalued and has the potential to surge hereon.
Risinger kept an ‘Outperform’ rating, citing accelerating growth prospects driven by new drug launches. According to the revised prediction, Johnson & Johnson stock is projected to reach a target price of $265.
That projection represents a potential gain of $31 per share from its current price. If accurate, a $1,000 investment could yield approximately $1,130, a return of about 13%.
