Insider Trading February 18, 2026

Johnson & Johnson CIO Executes Option Exercises, Sells $15.1 Million in Stock; Company Moves Ahead on Cell Therapy Investment

Insider transactions by Executive VP and CIO James D. Swanson coincide with company capital allocation and ongoing talc litigation developments

By Priya Menon JNJ
Johnson & Johnson CIO Executes Option Exercises, Sells $15.1 Million in Stock; Company Moves Ahead on Cell Therapy Investment
JNJ

Johnson & Johnson Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer James D. Swanson completed a series of equity transactions in mid-February 2026 that included the sale of common shares, the exercise of employee stock options and the conversion of restricted and performance share units. Those moves occurred alongside the company’s announcement of a major cell therapy manufacturing investment in Pennsylvania and continued legal and analyst activity related to talc litigation.

Key Points

  • James D. Swanson sold 41,559 shares on Feb 13 and Feb 17, 2026, for about $15.1 million at prices between $242.70 and $243.76 per share.
  • Swanson exercised options and converted RSUs and PSUs to acquire 42,418 shares valued at $10,202,709, with prices ranging from $0.0 to $165.89.
  • Johnson & Johnson plans to invest over $1 billion in a cell therapy manufacturing facility in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, expected to create roughly 500 biomanufacturing jobs and support more than 4,000 construction jobs during development.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer James D. Swanson reported multiple equity transactions in a Form 4 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering activity on Feb 13 and Feb 17, 2026.

On those dates Swanson sold a total of 41,559 shares of Johnson & Johnson common stock for approximately $15.1 million. The sales were executed in several transactions at prices ranging from $242.70 to $243.76 per share.

In addition to the open-market sales, the filing shows Swanson exercised options to acquire 42,418 shares of common stock. Those transactions reflected the conversion of restricted share units (RSUs) and performance share units (PSUs), together with the exercise of employee stock options. The combined value recorded for those conversions and option exercises was $10,202,709, with transaction prices reported in the filing ranging from $0.0 to $165.89.

To meet tax obligations associated with the exercises and conversions, Swanson also disposed of 4,214 shares of common stock. The disposition to cover taxes was valued at $1,029,713 and occurred at prices between $243.45 and $244.55 per share, according to the Form 4 disclosure.


Separately, the company announced plans to invest in a new cell therapy manufacturing facility in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The investment is described as exceeding $1 billion and is expected to create approximately 500 biomanufacturing jobs once operational. During the development phase, the project is expected to support over 4,000 construction jobs.

Legal and market dynamics remain part of the broader backdrop. A Philadelphia jury awarded $250,000 in damages to the family of a woman who died from ovarian cancer that was allegedly linked to Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based baby powder. The verdict consisted of $50,000 in compensatory damages and $200,000 in punitive damages.

Analyst activity has reflected investor attention to these legal outcomes. RBC Capital raised its price target for Johnson & Johnson to $255 while maintaining an Outperform rating; the firm’s action followed investor inquiries about the potential financial impact of recent talc litigation. Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock from Equalweight to Overweight and increased its price target to $262, citing the company’s strong performance last year that exceeded market indices.

Taken together, the insider filings, capital investment plans and litigation developments sketch a multifaceted period for Johnson & Johnson. The filings quantify the CIO’s equity activity, the announced cell therapy investment outlines a significant manufacturing and construction program in Pennsylvania, and the legal and analyst moves underscore ongoing questions about how litigation results may influence investor sentiment and valuation.

Risks

  • Court rulings in talc-related litigation - highlighted by a Philadelphia jury awarding $250,000 in damages - present legal exposure that could affect the company’s financials and investor perception.
  • Investor inquiries about the potential financial impact of recent talc litigation indicate uncertainty around the ultimate cost or liability stemming from those cases.
  • Analyst adjustments and upgrades reflect market sensitivity to both operational developments and litigation outcomes, creating potential stock-price volatility as new information emerges.

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