J&J sets the tone for Q1 earnings with strong oncology growth

As companies crossed the beingness sciences abstraction cogwheel up to debut their Q1 earnings, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has kicked disconnected proceedings by posting steadfast maturation crossed its pharma portfolio, contempt headwinds from Stelara’s (ustekinumab) nonaccomplishment of marketplace exclusivity.

In the archetypal 4th of 2026, J&J achieved income of $24.1bn – up 9.9% from Q1 successful 2025 and higher than expert expectations of $23.61bn – with the New Jersey-based pharma attaining operational maturation of 6.4%. J&J’s adjusted net per stock (EPS) stood astatine $2.70, beating Wall Street expectations of $2.68.

Burgeoning Q1 income crossed J&J's innovative medicines portfolio chiefly drove this uptick, arsenic the part saw an 11.2% summation compared with the aforesaid 4th successful 2025, bringing successful $15.4bn.

Growth wrong this conception was chiefly supported by ballooning income crossed aggregate illness areas. Oncology was a large wealth shaper for J&J successful Q1, with aggregate myeloma therapies similar Darzalex (daratumumab) and Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel), among others, bringing successful a full of $6.97bn for the company.

Neuroscience besides saw beardown maturation driven by treatment-resistant slump (TRD) therapy, Spravato (esketamine), portion Tremfya (guselkumab) offered a boost to income wrong the company’s immunology portfolio.

Despite the wide growth, biosimilar contention for Stelara did origin immoderate headwinds for J&J this 4th – offsetting the pharma’s maturation during this period.

Amid the backdrop of a mostly affirmative Q1, J&J has boosted its 2026 outlook, forecasting that the institution volition spot operational income maturation of 5.6% – 6.6% alternatively than the 5.4% – 6.4% predicted successful January 2026.

According to J&J’s CEO, Joaquin Duato, the institution is connected the close way to station double-digit maturation by the extremity of the decade, with the support and debut of its IL-23 plaque psoriasis pill, Icotyde (icotrokinra), acceptable to plug the income spread near by Stelara. Currently, GlobalData analysts tout a blockbuster aboriginal for the therapy, with 2032 income expected to scope $4.4bn globally.

In a erstwhile speech with Pharmaceutical Technology, GlobalData expert Stephanie Ngan noted that Icotyde’s support successful some the big and teen diligent colonisation “immediately casts a wider net” for the drug’s aboriginal and wide uptake.

J&J hopes to execute this amid the backdrop of its Most Favored Nation (MFN) pricing woody with the White House, which volition spot definite branded medicines successful the pharma company’s portfolio endure a US terms chopped successful speech for exemption from 100% tariffs.