Buying What the Laboratory Cannot SupplyNarrow moat

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) — moat facet

J&J spent about $33 billion on acquisitions in two years because its laboratories alone cannot replace what expires.

J&J's laboratories do not produce enough to replace what expires, so the company buys. Acquisitions net of cash cost $15.1 billion in 2024 and $17.5 billion in 20251, together about $32.7 billion2, on top of Abiomed's $17.1 billion at the end of 20223. Over the same two years free cash flow was roughly $19.8 billion and $19.7 billion4.

Major acquisitions since 2022 ($bn)Abiomed (2022)17.1Intra-Cellular (2025)14.5Shockwave (2024)12.6Halda (2025)3.05Ambrx (2024)2.0Firefly (2026)1.0J&J Forms 10-K FY2022-FY2025; Firefly release, July 2026
Three purchases above $12 billion in three years.

The deals have a pattern. In medicines J&J buys products with proof of demand, like Caplyta through Intra-Cellular for $14.5 billion5, and scientific platforms before they have products, like Halda for approximately $3.05 billion6. In MedTech it buys positions in faster-growing markets, Abiomed in heart pumps and Shockwave in calcified arteries for $12.6 billion7.

The balance sheet records what this costs. Goodwill rose from $44,200 million to $48,772 million in 2025 and intangible assets from $37,618 million to $50,403 million8. Together they are about half of J&J's $199,210 million of total assets9.

The advantage in this is real but conditional. Writing a $14.5 billion cheque and raising the dividend in the same year takes a large balance sheet; J&J did both in 2025, funding the purchase with approximately $9.2 billion of new notes10. And an acquired product placed into J&J's commercial organisation reaches more physicians in more countries than it could alone.

What the purchases do not guarantee is a return above the cost of capital. The EDGAR-based return on invested capital was 12.2% in 2023 and 14.3% in 202411, respectable but not the return of a business with an unassailable franchise, and the 2025 figure of 23.9% is flattered by the talc reserve reversal12.

The deals also change where J&J's assets are. Long-lived assets in the United States rose from $70,670 million to $89,392 million in 2025, out of $121,127 million worldwide13. Most of the purchases have been American companies, which fits a strategy of concentrating on the United States market and on domestic manufacturing, and concentrates the balance sheet in the country whose pricing policy is least predictable.

Integration is the part investors see least. J&J recorded acquisition, integration and divestiture related net expense of $0.4 billion in 2025, primarily related to Intra-Cellular and Halda14, and in the first half of 2026 it added back $176 million of such costs to reach adjusted earnings15. Those amounts are modest against the purchase prices, which suggests J&J buys businesses it can run inside its existing organisation rather than rebuild.

The pace has not slowed in 2026. The Firefly purchase and the Sail agreements in July added $1 billion and $785 million of initial payments1617, and the Sail option alone is priced at $2.58 billion18.

It adds up to a narrow advantage: J&J buys well and integrates well, but it buys in a competitive auction. The falsifier is the return on invested capital once the talc reversal drops out; a figure back near 12% after two years of large deals would say the acquisitions bought sales rather than returns.

Moat trajectory: Holding steady

Deals continued in 2026 with Firefly and the Sail option.

The number that tests this moat
Reported
Acquisitions net of cash, 2025
$17,541M (2024: $15,146M)

The scale of buying; rising faster than free cash flow means the pipeline is being bought on credit.

Source: Johnson & Johnson Form 10-K, FY2025 ↗
Aspects of the moat
DIG DEEPER 01
Abiomed and a Milestone Nobody Expects
J&J paid $17.1 billion for Abiomed and has already written down its own estimate of hitting the sales milestone it agreed.
DIG DEEPER 02
Shockwave: $12.6 Billion for a Billion of Sales
J&J paid about eleven times sales for Shockwave, and its growth has slowed to 14.6%.
DIG DEEPER 03
Caplyta and the Price of Intra-Cellular
J&J paid about ten times current sales for Caplyta, and the drug is growing 71% a year.
DIG DEEPER 04
Halda and the Price of Early Science
J&J pays billions for early-stage science and writes off a few hundred million of it a year, which is the cost of owning many options.
⚠ Threats to the moat
⚠ THREAT 01
Spending More Than the Cash Flow
In 2025 J&J paid out $35.9 billion against $19.7 billion of free cash flow and borrowed the rest.
⚠ THREAT 02
Half the Balance Sheet Is Goodwill and Intangibles
Half of J&J's balance sheet is the price of businesses it bought.
References
  1. ReportedAcquisitions net of cash cost $15.1 billion in 2024 and $17.5 billion in 2025, together about $32.7 billion, on top of Abiomed's $17.1 billion at the end of 2022.
    Johnson & Johnson Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (year ended 28 December 2025) - Item 7 MD&A: MedTech segment and franchise sales analysis. — FY2025 · publ. 11 February 2026 · source ↗
  2. Moat Explorer calcAcquisitions net of cash cost $15.1 billion in 2024 and $17.5 billion in 2025, together about $32.7 billion, on top of Abiomed's $17.1 billion at the end of 2022.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Johnson & Johnson's reported figures ($ millions unless stated). Darzalex royalty: 2,400 / 14,351 = 16.7%. Stelara 2023-2025: 10,858 - 6,078 = 4,780 lost; Tremfya 5,155 - 3,147 = 2,008 gained, 2,008 / 4,780 = 42%. Growth 2023-2025: Darzalex 14,351 - 9,744 = 4,607; Carvykti 1,887 - 500 = 1,387; Erleada 3,574 - 2,387 = 1,187; Spravato 1,696 - 689 = 1,007; five products 4,607 + 2,008 + 1,387 + 1,187 + 1,007 = 10,196. Myeloma medicines Q2 2026: 4,207 + 657 + 260 + 174 = 5,298; 5,298 / 25,310 = 20.9%. Simponi and Opsumit 2025: 2,668 + 2,325 = 4,993. Abiomed: 3,700 / 1,751 = 2.1 times; 1,751 x 1.171^5 = 3,850 by 2030. Shockwave: 12,600 / 1,146 = 11.0 times. Caplyta: 361 x 4 = 1,444 a year; 14,500 / 1,444 = 10.0 times. Acquisitions: 15,146 + 17,541 = 32,687. Goodwill and intangibles: 48,772 + 50,403 = 99,175; 99,175 / 199,210 = 49.8%. Free cash flow 2025: 24,530 - 4,832 = 19,698. Cash uses 2025: 12,381 + 5,953 + 17,541 = 35,875. Capex 4,832 / 94,193 = 5.1%. Surgery: 10,137 / 10,037 - 1 = 1.0%. Electrophysiology: 5,634 / 33,792 = 16.7%. MedTech share of sales: 33,792 / 94,193 = 35.9%; Innovative Medicine 60,401 / 94,193 = 64.1%. Segment income 2025: 22,266 + 4,113 = 26,379; Innovative Medicine 22,266 / 26,379 = 84.4%; MedTech 4,113 / 26,379 = 15.6%. Gross margin 63,937 / 94,193 = 67.9%. MedTech rebates: 6,446 / 33,792 = 19.1%; 5,955 / 31,857 = 18.7%. Return on identifiable assets: Innovative Medicine 22,266 / 78,057 = 28.5%; MedTech 4,113 / 86,482 = 4.8%. Cost of products sold / segment sales 2025: Innovative Medicine 15,646 / 60,401 = 25.9%; MedTech 14,549 / 33,792 = 43.1%. Q2 2026 segment margins: Innovative Medicine 6,249 / 16,384 = 38.1%; MedTech 1,177 / 8,926 = 13.2%. Growth 2023-2025: sales 94,193 / 85,159 - 1 = 10.6%; operating cash flow 24,530 / 22,791 - 1 = 7.6%; dividends 12,381 / 11,770 - 1 = 5.2%. Dividends per share 5.14 / 2.95 - 1 = 74%. Payout 2025: 12,381 / 26,804 = 46%; 12,381 / 26,215 = 47%; 12,381 / 19,698 = 63%. Diluted shares 2,429.4 / 2,812.9 - 1 = -13.6%; Kenvue exchange 190.96 / 2,674.0 = 7.1%. Firefly and Sail initial payments: 1,000 + 785 = 1,785. Consumer sales 2015-2022: (14,953 / 13,507)^(1/7) - 1 = 1.5% a year. Wholesalers: 21.8 + 15.5 + 11.1 = 48.4 (2025); 20.5 + 15.6 + 12.3 = 48.4 (2024); 18.2 + 15.1 + 14.2 = 47.5 (2023); largest 21.8 - 18.2 = 3.6 points. Innovative Medicine rebates: 56,819 / 60,401 = 94.1% (2025); 47,523 / 54,759 = 86.8% (2023); 56,819 / 47,523 - 1 = 19.6%; net sales 60,401 / 54,759 - 1 = 10.3%. Top three products: 15.0 + 6.5 + 5.5 = 27.0% of revenue. United States share: 53,752 / 94,193 = 57.1% (2025); 14,533 / 25,310 = 57.4% (Q2 2026). MedTech excluding orthopaedics: (33,792 - 9,258) / (31,857 - 9,158) - 1 = 8.1%. Talc: 5,500 / 76,000 claims = about $72,000 per claim; 5.5 - 3.7 = 1.8 billion. Valuation: 348.19 / 24.242 = 14.4 times (end-2024 market value over 2024 adjusted net earnings); 652.05 / 348.19 - 1 = 87%; 270.57 / 11.04 = 24.5 times; 11.04 / 10.79 - 1 = 2.3%; 277.91 / 270.57 - 1 = 2.7%. Innovative Medicine history: (60,401 / 31,430)^(1/10) - 1 = 6.8% a year; Pharmaceutical pre-tax margins 11,734 / 31,430 = 37.3% (2015), 12,827 / 33,464 = 38.3% (2016), 8,816 / 42,198 = 20.9% (2019); restated growth 52,563 / 51,680 - 1 = 1.7% (2022), 54,759 / 52,563 - 1 = 4.2% (2023), 56,964 / 54,759 - 1 = 4.0% (2024). Additional: 2015 mix 31,430 / 70,074 = 45%; dividend 5.36 / 11.04 = 49%; buybacks 4,253 / 5,953 = 71%; vision 5,468 / 33,792 = 16%; Innovative Medicine international 60,401 - 36,344 = 24,057 against 54,759 - 31,169 = 23,590 (2.0%); United States 36,344 / 31,169 - 1 = 16.6%; myeloma four-product growth 2023-2025 4,607 + 1,387 + (670 - 395) + (463 - 63) = 6,669 of oncology growth 25,380 - 17,661 = 7,719, 86%; Darzalex international 1,772 / 4,207 = 42%; equity gap 99,175 - 81,544 = 17,631; Abiomed 440 x 4 = 1,760; amortisation MedTech 0.5 / 1.3 = 38%; MedTech H1 2026 segment income 2,416 / 2,625 - 1 = -8.0%, SM&A 5,975 / 5,518 - 1 = 8.3%, R&D 1,492 / 1,324 - 1 = 12.7%, cost of products sold 7,438 / 6,964 - 1 = 6.8%, margins 2,416 / 17,562 = 13.8% and 2,625 / 16,561 = 15.9%; Innovative Medicine H1 2026 11,566 / 10,762 - 1 = 7.5%, 11,566 / 31,810 = 36.4%; dividends / operating cash flow 12,381 / 24,530 = 50%; receivables 17,178 - 14,842 = 2,336, inventories 14,191 - 12,444 = 1,747; Q2 2026 dividend 3,227 x 4 = 12,908, one cent x 4 x 2,408M shares = $96M; diluted shares 2,663.9 / 2,812.9 - 1 = -5.3%; MedTech United States 17,408 / 33,792 = 52%; international sales 94,193 - 53,752 = 40,441; oncology share of Innovative Medicine 25,380 / 60,401 = 42.0%; Darzalex sales increase 14,351 - 11,670 = 2,681, royalty increase 2,400 - 2,000 = 400, 400 / 2,681 = 15%; newer myeloma medicines Q2 2026 657 + 260 + 174 = 1,091, 1,091 / 4,207 = 26%; Shockwave international 67 / 335 = 20%; amortisation 2,492 x 2 = 4,984 a year, 4,984 / 26,215 = 19%; US long-lived assets 89,392 - 70,670 = 18,722; surgery international Q2 2026 1,559 / 2,653 = 59%; net interest 1,056 - 971 = 85; dividends per share 5.14 / 4.70 - 1 = 9.4%; MedTech rebates 6,446 / 5,955 - 1 = 8.2%; trailing sales 94,193 - 45,636 + 49,372 = 97,929; net earnings 26,804 - 16,536 + 10,769 = 21,037. MedTech history: (33,792 / 25,137)^(1/10) - 1 = 3.0% a year; Medical Devices 6,826 / 25,137 = 27.2% (2015), 5,392 / 26,592 = 20.3% (2017); restated 4,208 / 27,060 = 15.6% (2021), 4,447 / 27,427 = 16.2% (2022); growth 27,427 / 27,060 - 1 = 1.4% (2022), 30,400 / 27,427 - 1 = 10.8% (2023), 31,857 / 30,400 - 1 = 4.8% (2024) - product and franchise growth. — 2015-2026 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in J&J's Forms 10-K, 10-Q, results releases and market data; operands shown in the source line.
  3. ReportedAcquisitions net of cash cost $15.1 billion in 2024 and $17.5 billion in 2025, together about $32.7 billion, on top of Abiomed's $17.1 billion at the end of 2022.
    Johnson & Johnson Form 10-K for fiscal 2022 - the Abiomed acquisition, the contingent value right and the three-segment results for 2020-2022. — FY2022 · publ. February 2023 · source ↗
  4. ReportedOver the same two years free cash flow was roughly $19.8 billion and $19.7 billion.
    Johnson & Johnson fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results release, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1 - adjusted earnings, free cash flow and 2026 guidance. — FY2025 · publ. 21 January 2026 · source ↗
  5. ReportedIn medicines J&J buys products with proof of demand, like Caplyta through Intra-Cellular for $14.5 billion, and scientific platforms before they have products, like Halda for approximately $3.05 billion.
    Johnson & Johnson Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (year ended 28 December 2025) - Item 7 MD&A: Innovative Medicine segment, therapeutic-area and product sales analysis. — FY2025 · publ. 11 February 2026 · source ↗
  6. ReportedIn medicines J&J buys products with proof of demand, like Caplyta through Intra-Cellular for $14.5 billion, and scientific platforms before they have products, like Halda for approximately $3.05 billion.
    Johnson & Johnson Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (year ended 28 December 2025) - Item 7 MD&A: Innovative Medicine segment, therapeutic-area and product sales analysis. — FY2025 · publ. 11 February 2026 · source ↗
  7. ReportedIn MedTech it buys positions in faster-growing markets, Abiomed in heart pumps and Shockwave in calcified arteries for $12.6 billion.
    Johnson & Johnson Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (year ended 28 December 2025) - Item 7 MD&A: MedTech segment and franchise sales analysis. — FY2025 · publ. 11 February 2026 · source ↗
  8. ReportedGoodwill rose from $44,200 million to $48,772 million in 2025 and intangible assets from $37,618 million to $50,403 million.
    Johnson & Johnson Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (year ended 28 December 2025) - financial statements and notes: income statement, balance sheet, cash flows, equity, segment income, acquisitions and geographic assets. — FY2025 · publ. 11 February 2026 · source ↗
  9. Moat Explorer calcTogether they are about half of J&J's $199,210 million of total assets.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Johnson & Johnson's reported figures ($ millions unless stated). Darzalex royalty: 2,400 / 14,351 = 16.7%. Stelara 2023-2025: 10,858 - 6,078 = 4,780 lost; Tremfya 5,155 - 3,147 = 2,008 gained, 2,008 / 4,780 = 42%. Growth 2023-2025: Darzalex 14,351 - 9,744 = 4,607; Carvykti 1,887 - 500 = 1,387; Erleada 3,574 - 2,387 = 1,187; Spravato 1,696 - 689 = 1,007; five products 4,607 + 2,008 + 1,387 + 1,187 + 1,007 = 10,196. Myeloma medicines Q2 2026: 4,207 + 657 + 260 + 174 = 5,298; 5,298 / 25,310 = 20.9%. Simponi and Opsumit 2025: 2,668 + 2,325 = 4,993. Abiomed: 3,700 / 1,751 = 2.1 times; 1,751 x 1.171^5 = 3,850 by 2030. Shockwave: 12,600 / 1,146 = 11.0 times. Caplyta: 361 x 4 = 1,444 a year; 14,500 / 1,444 = 10.0 times. Acquisitions: 15,146 + 17,541 = 32,687. Goodwill and intangibles: 48,772 + 50,403 = 99,175; 99,175 / 199,210 = 49.8%. Free cash flow 2025: 24,530 - 4,832 = 19,698. Cash uses 2025: 12,381 + 5,953 + 17,541 = 35,875. Capex 4,832 / 94,193 = 5.1%. Surgery: 10,137 / 10,037 - 1 = 1.0%. Electrophysiology: 5,634 / 33,792 = 16.7%. MedTech share of sales: 33,792 / 94,193 = 35.9%; Innovative Medicine 60,401 / 94,193 = 64.1%. Segment income 2025: 22,266 + 4,113 = 26,379; Innovative Medicine 22,266 / 26,379 = 84.4%; MedTech 4,113 / 26,379 = 15.6%. Gross margin 63,937 / 94,193 = 67.9%. MedTech rebates: 6,446 / 33,792 = 19.1%; 5,955 / 31,857 = 18.7%. Return on identifiable assets: Innovative Medicine 22,266 / 78,057 = 28.5%; MedTech 4,113 / 86,482 = 4.8%. Cost of products sold / segment sales 2025: Innovative Medicine 15,646 / 60,401 = 25.9%; MedTech 14,549 / 33,792 = 43.1%. Q2 2026 segment margins: Innovative Medicine 6,249 / 16,384 = 38.1%; MedTech 1,177 / 8,926 = 13.2%. Growth 2023-2025: sales 94,193 / 85,159 - 1 = 10.6%; operating cash flow 24,530 / 22,791 - 1 = 7.6%; dividends 12,381 / 11,770 - 1 = 5.2%. Dividends per share 5.14 / 2.95 - 1 = 74%. Payout 2025: 12,381 / 26,804 = 46%; 12,381 / 26,215 = 47%; 12,381 / 19,698 = 63%. Diluted shares 2,429.4 / 2,812.9 - 1 = -13.6%; Kenvue exchange 190.96 / 2,674.0 = 7.1%. Firefly and Sail initial payments: 1,000 + 785 = 1,785. Consumer sales 2015-2022: (14,953 / 13,507)^(1/7) - 1 = 1.5% a year. Wholesalers: 21.8 + 15.5 + 11.1 = 48.4 (2025); 20.5 + 15.6 + 12.3 = 48.4 (2024); 18.2 + 15.1 + 14.2 = 47.5 (2023); largest 21.8 - 18.2 = 3.6 points. Innovative Medicine rebates: 56,819 / 60,401 = 94.1% (2025); 47,523 / 54,759 = 86.8% (2023); 56,819 / 47,523 - 1 = 19.6%; net sales 60,401 / 54,759 - 1 = 10.3%. Top three products: 15.0 + 6.5 + 5.5 = 27.0% of revenue. United States share: 53,752 / 94,193 = 57.1% (2025); 14,533 / 25,310 = 57.4% (Q2 2026). MedTech excluding orthopaedics: (33,792 - 9,258) / (31,857 - 9,158) - 1 = 8.1%. Talc: 5,500 / 76,000 claims = about $72,000 per claim; 5.5 - 3.7 = 1.8 billion. Valuation: 348.19 / 24.242 = 14.4 times (end-2024 market value over 2024 adjusted net earnings); 652.05 / 348.19 - 1 = 87%; 270.57 / 11.04 = 24.5 times; 11.04 / 10.79 - 1 = 2.3%; 277.91 / 270.57 - 1 = 2.7%. Innovative Medicine history: (60,401 / 31,430)^(1/10) - 1 = 6.8% a year; Pharmaceutical pre-tax margins 11,734 / 31,430 = 37.3% (2015), 12,827 / 33,464 = 38.3% (2016), 8,816 / 42,198 = 20.9% (2019); restated growth 52,563 / 51,680 - 1 = 1.7% (2022), 54,759 / 52,563 - 1 = 4.2% (2023), 56,964 / 54,759 - 1 = 4.0% (2024). Additional: 2015 mix 31,430 / 70,074 = 45%; dividend 5.36 / 11.04 = 49%; buybacks 4,253 / 5,953 = 71%; vision 5,468 / 33,792 = 16%; Innovative Medicine international 60,401 - 36,344 = 24,057 against 54,759 - 31,169 = 23,590 (2.0%); United States 36,344 / 31,169 - 1 = 16.6%; myeloma four-product growth 2023-2025 4,607 + 1,387 + (670 - 395) + (463 - 63) = 6,669 of oncology growth 25,380 - 17,661 = 7,719, 86%; Darzalex international 1,772 / 4,207 = 42%; equity gap 99,175 - 81,544 = 17,631; Abiomed 440 x 4 = 1,760; amortisation MedTech 0.5 / 1.3 = 38%; MedTech H1 2026 segment income 2,416 / 2,625 - 1 = -8.0%, SM&A 5,975 / 5,518 - 1 = 8.3%, R&D 1,492 / 1,324 - 1 = 12.7%, cost of products sold 7,438 / 6,964 - 1 = 6.8%, margins 2,416 / 17,562 = 13.8% and 2,625 / 16,561 = 15.9%; Innovative Medicine H1 2026 11,566 / 10,762 - 1 = 7.5%, 11,566 / 31,810 = 36.4%; dividends / operating cash flow 12,381 / 24,530 = 50%; receivables 17,178 - 14,842 = 2,336, inventories 14,191 - 12,444 = 1,747; Q2 2026 dividend 3,227 x 4 = 12,908, one cent x 4 x 2,408M shares = $96M; diluted shares 2,663.9 / 2,812.9 - 1 = -5.3%; MedTech United States 17,408 / 33,792 = 52%; international sales 94,193 - 53,752 = 40,441; oncology share of Innovative Medicine 25,380 / 60,401 = 42.0%; Darzalex sales increase 14,351 - 11,670 = 2,681, royalty increase 2,400 - 2,000 = 400, 400 / 2,681 = 15%; newer myeloma medicines Q2 2026 657 + 260 + 174 = 1,091, 1,091 / 4,207 = 26%; Shockwave international 67 / 335 = 20%; amortisation 2,492 x 2 = 4,984 a year, 4,984 / 26,215 = 19%; US long-lived assets 89,392 - 70,670 = 18,722; surgery international Q2 2026 1,559 / 2,653 = 59%; net interest 1,056 - 971 = 85; dividends per share 5.14 / 4.70 - 1 = 9.4%; MedTech rebates 6,446 / 5,955 - 1 = 8.2%; trailing sales 94,193 - 45,636 + 49,372 = 97,929; net earnings 26,804 - 16,536 + 10,769 = 21,037. MedTech history: (33,792 / 25,137)^(1/10) - 1 = 3.0% a year; Medical Devices 6,826 / 25,137 = 27.2% (2015), 5,392 / 26,592 = 20.3% (2017); restated 4,208 / 27,060 = 15.6% (2021), 4,447 / 27,427 = 16.2% (2022); growth 27,427 / 27,060 - 1 = 1.4% (2022), 30,400 / 27,427 - 1 = 10.8% (2023), 31,857 / 30,400 - 1 = 4.8% (2024) - product and franchise growth. — 2015-2026 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in J&J's Forms 10-K, 10-Q, results releases and market data; operands shown in the source line.
  10. ReportedWriting a $14.5 billion cheque and raising the dividend in the same year takes a large balance sheet; J&J did both in 2025, funding the purchase with approximately $9.2 billion of new notes.
    Johnson & Johnson Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (year ended 28 December 2025) - financial statements and notes: income statement, balance sheet, cash flows, equity, segment income, acquisitions and geographic assets. — FY2025 · publ. 11 February 2026 · source ↗
  11. Moat Explorer calcThe EDGAR-based return on invested capital was 12.2% in 2023 and 14.3% in 2024, respectable but not the return of a business with an unassailable franchise, and the 2025 figure of 23.9% is flattered by the talc reserve reversal.
    Moat Explorer calculation, tools_roic_edgar.py on SEC EDGAR XBRL for CIK 200406: return on invested capital 17.0% (2016), 12.1% (2017), 15.3% (2018), 14.8% (2019), not computable (2020), 12.9% (2021), 14.9% (2022), 12.2% (2023), 14.3% (2024), 23.9% (2025). 2025 operating income includes the reversal of approximately $7.0 billion of the talc reserve. — 2016-2025 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: NOPAT (operating income x (1 - effective tax rate)) divided by average operating invested capital (total assets less current liabilities less cash), from SEC EDGAR XBRL via tools_roic_edgar.py. The 2025 figure is flattered by the ~$7.0bn talc reserve reversal booked in other income.
  12. Moat Explorer calcThe EDGAR-based return on invested capital was 12.2% in 2023 and 14.3% in 2024, respectable but not the return of a business with an unassailable franchise, and the 2025 figure of 23.9% is flattered by the talc reserve reversal.
    Moat Explorer calculation, tools_roic_edgar.py on SEC EDGAR XBRL for CIK 200406: return on invested capital 17.0% (2016), 12.1% (2017), 15.3% (2018), 14.8% (2019), not computable (2020), 12.9% (2021), 14.9% (2022), 12.2% (2023), 14.3% (2024), 23.9% (2025). 2025 operating income includes the reversal of approximately $7.0 billion of the talc reserve. — 2016-2025 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: NOPAT (operating income x (1 - effective tax rate)) divided by average operating invested capital (total assets less current liabilities less cash), from SEC EDGAR XBRL via tools_roic_edgar.py. The 2025 figure is flattered by the ~$7.0bn talc reserve reversal booked in other income.
  13. ReportedLong-lived assets in the United States rose from $70,670 million to $89,392 million in 2025, out of $121,127 million worldwide.
    Johnson & Johnson Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (year ended 28 December 2025) - Item 7 MD&A: consolidated sales, volume and price, geography, the three wholesalers, rebate accruals, costs, R&D and liquidity. — FY2025 · publ. 11 February 2026 · source ↗
  14. ReportedJ&J recorded acquisition, integration and divestiture related net expense of $0.4 billion in 2025, primarily related to Intra-Cellular and Halda, and in the first half of 2026 it added back $176 million of such costs to reach adjusted earnings.
    Johnson & Johnson Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (year ended 28 December 2025) - Item 7 MD&A: consolidated sales, volume and price, geography, the three wholesalers, rebate accruals, costs, R&D and liquidity. — FY2025 · publ. 11 February 2026 · source ↗
  15. ReportedJ&J recorded acquisition, integration and divestiture related net expense of $0.4 billion in 2025, primarily related to Intra-Cellular and Halda, and in the first half of 2026 it added back $176 million of such costs to reach adjusted earnings.
    Johnson & Johnson second-quarter 2026 supplementary sales data, statement of earnings and non-GAAP reconciliation, Form 8-K exhibit 99.2 - statement of earnings and non-GAAP reconciliation. — Q2 2026 · publ. 15 July 2026 · source ↗
  16. ReportedThe Firefly purchase and the Sail agreements in July added $1 billion and $785 million of initial payments, and the Sail option alone is priced at $2.58 billion.
    Johnson & Johnson announcement completing the acquisition of Firefly Bio, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1. — July 2026 · publ. 29 July 2026 · source ↗
  17. ReportedThe Firefly purchase and the Sail agreements in July added $1 billion and $785 million of initial payments, and the Sail option alone is priced at $2.58 billion.
    Johnson & Johnson announcement of agreements and an option to acquire Sail Biomedicines, Form 8-K exhibit 99.2. — July 2026 · publ. 29 July 2026 · source ↗
  18. ReportedThe Firefly purchase and the Sail agreements in July added $1 billion and $785 million of initial payments, and the Sail option alone is priced at $2.58 billion.
    Johnson & Johnson announcement of agreements and an option to acquire Sail Biomedicines, Form 8-K exhibit 99.2. — July 2026 · publ. 29 July 2026 · source ↗
Sources
Generated September 24, 2026