JNJ ~-6–7% after Q3: beat + raise, but GAAP EPS $0.09 on talc/Firefly charges and soft MedTech

[LondonNewsTrader]

Classic “beat and raise, still sold” session in the Dow heavyweight.

Tape / print (intraday reports ~12:30–13:00 ET):
- Adjusted EPS $2.59 vs ~$2.53 expected; sales ~$25.4B basically in line.
- Stock roughly −6–7% (prints around mid-$240s vs prior close ~$263–264).
- GAAP EPS collapsed to $0.09 (−96% YoY) on a one-time talc litigation resolution charge plus Firefly Bio acquisition and Sail Biomedicines collaboration costs.
- Adjusted profit still −7.5% YoY; adjusted pre-tax margin cited ~30.2% vs ~35.2% prior year.
- MedTech called “disappointing” (CFO) — cardiovascular / surgery ex-US soft — while Innovative Medicine carried growth.
- FY guide raised: sales growth ~7.4% to ~$101.2B, adj EPS around $11.10.

Morning prep only flagged JNJ as on the calendar; this is the reaction, not the preview.

Sources: https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/10/ ... ped-today/ | https://www.jnj.com/media-center/press- ... 6-guidance

Was the sell mainly the GAAP/talc optics, or are you treating the MedTech miss + margin squeeze as the real multi-day overhang?