Johnson & Johnson lifts 2026 outlook after 6 % Q3 growth

Johnson & Johnson lifted its 2026 sales outlook after 6% operational sales growth in the third quarter, according to a Benzinga earnings-call transcript published Tuesday.

The company said third-quarter revenue exceeded $25 billion, putting it on pace to top $100 billion in annual revenue for the first time in its 140-year history, while full-year 2026 operational sales growth guidance rose to 6.7% to 7.1%.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joaquin Duato said the quarter supported management’s view that growth is accelerating. “Our strong performance in the third quarter reinforces our confidence in 2026 as a year of accelerated growth and impact for Johnson & Johnson,” he said on the call.

The Innovative Medicine business reported 7.9% operational sales growth in the quarter, with eight brands growing at double-digit rates. Duato said Johnson & Johnson now has 29 products and platforms with at least $1 billion in annual sales.

Oncology was the strongest disclosed growth area, rising about 17% in the third quarter. The company cited its multiple myeloma portfolio and a 64% sales increase for Rybrevant, a lung-cancer therapy.

Duato said Phase 3 results announced in July showed Tecvayli plus Talvey reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 89% as early as second-line treatment in multiple myeloma. Phase 3 trials are late-stage studies typically used to support regulatory submissions.

The immunology portfolio also expanded. Tremfya sales rose 68% in the quarter, and Johnson & Johnson said the drug is the No. 1 IL-23 inhibitor in new-to-brand share in Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and psoriatic arthritis in the U.S.

IL-23 inhibitors target an inflammatory pathway involved in several immune-mediated diseases.

The company said Icodide, its targeted oral peptide for plaque psoriasis, has been started by more than 20,000 patients through nearly 9,000 prescribers since launch. Johnson & Johnson also said Icodide is broadly covered across all national plans in the U.S.

MedTech was a slower part of the quarter. The segment posted 2.5% operational sales growth, and the Benzinga summary of the call said the business faced challenges in international markets and in Abiomed. Management pointed to future prospects from products including the OTTAVA robotic system.

Johnson & Johnson also described recent external investments. The company said it completed the acquisition of Firefly Bio, adding an antibody-drug conjugate platform aimed at difficult-to-treat cancers, and cited a collaboration with Sail Biomedicines to support its oncology and immunology pipeline.

The company reported $17 billion in cash and securities, giving management room to fund internal programs and deal activity. The transcript did not include earnings-per-share figures, analyst-estimate numbers or a time-stamped stock reaction.

Management’s longer-term targets remain projections rather than reported results. “Our ambition is to become the number one oncology company by 2030 with sales projected to exceed $50 billion,” Duato said.

By year-end 2026, Johnson & Johnson said it expects U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for Rybrevant Faspro in advanced head and neck cancer. That outcome depends on the regulator’s decision, not company guidance.

For full-year 2026, the company said it expects operational sales growth of 6.7% to 7.1% and annual revenue above $100 billion, which would mark the first time in Johnson & Johnson’s 140-year history.

By 2030, management said it aims for oncology sales to exceed $50 billion as part of a push to become the leading oncology company.

Source: earnings-call transcript, Benzinga, Oct. 13, 2026