Johnson & Johnson's Icotyde Shows Strong Potential as a Cash Cow
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 day ago
0mins
Should l Buy JNJ?
Source: CNBC
- New Drug Launch: Johnson & Johnson's newly launched oral medication Icotyde received FDA approval in mid-March for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, becoming the first oral treatment targeting the IL-23 receptor, and is expected to become a new cash cow for the company.
- Sales Expectations: Icotyde is projected to reach $10.5 billion in sales by 2032, significantly exceeding Wall Street's consensus of $7.4 billion, indicating strong market potential, especially after securing approvals for conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Market Competition: Despite the convenience of Icotyde, analysts express skepticism about its ability to surpass existing biologics like Tremfya and AbbVie's Skyrizi, suggesting that patients may prefer quarterly injections over daily pills.
- Strategic Positioning: J&J's CEO stated that Icotyde, alongside Tremfya, forms a crucial part of the company's immunology portfolio aimed at replacing declining sales from Stelara, which peaked at nearly $11 billion in 2023 but is expected to see significant declines in the future.
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Analyst Views on JNJ
Wall Street analysts forecast JNJ stock price to fall
20 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 230.800
Low
190.00
Averages
218.50
High
240.00
Current: 230.800
Low
190.00
Averages
218.50
High
240.00
About JNJ
Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries are engaged in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of a range of products in the healthcare field. The Company’s segments include Innovative Medicine and MedTech. The Innovative Medicine segment is focused on various therapeutic areas, including immunology, infectious diseases, neuroscience, oncology, pulmonary hypertension, cardiovascular and metabolism. Its products include REMICADE (infliximab), SIMPONI (golimumab), SIMPONI ARIA (golimumab), STELARA (ustekinumab), TREMFYA (guselkumab), EDURANT (rilpivirine), and INVEGA SUSTENNA/XEPLION (paliperidone palmitate). The MedTech segment includes a portfolio of products used in cardiovascular, orthopedics, surgery, and vision categories. The Cardiovascular portfolio includes electrophysiology products to treat heart rhythm disorders and circulatory restoration products (Shockwave) for the treatment of calcified coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD).
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- New Drug Launch: Johnson & Johnson's newly launched oral medication Icotyde received FDA approval in mid-March for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, becoming the first oral treatment targeting the IL-23 receptor, and is expected to become a new cash cow for the company.
- Sales Expectations: Icotyde is projected to reach $10.5 billion in sales by 2032, significantly exceeding Wall Street's consensus of $7.4 billion, indicating strong market potential, especially after securing approvals for conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Market Competition: Despite the convenience of Icotyde, analysts express skepticism about its ability to surpass existing biologics like Tremfya and AbbVie's Skyrizi, suggesting that patients may prefer quarterly injections over daily pills.
- Strategic Positioning: J&J's CEO stated that Icotyde, alongside Tremfya, forms a crucial part of the company's immunology portfolio aimed at replacing declining sales from Stelara, which peaked at nearly $11 billion in 2023 but is expected to see significant declines in the future.
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- Analyst Upgrade: Leerink analysts upgraded Johnson & Johnson's stock rating from hold to buy, emphasizing that the launch of new drugs Icotyde and Inlexzo will drive revenue growth and accelerate stock performance.
- Icotyde Sales Forecast: Analysts project Icotyde sales to reach $405 million by fiscal year 2026, significantly above the Street consensus of $268 million, indicating strong market demand and growth potential.
- Inlexzo Initial Performance: J&J CFO disclosed for the first time that Inlexzo's quarterly sales surpassed $30 million, which analysts view as a strong market signal indicating success during the initial launch phase.
- Price Target Increase: Leerink raised J&J's price target from $252 to $265, implying over 15% upside, reflecting optimistic expectations for the company's future growth.
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- Analyst Upgrade: Leerink Partners upgraded Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) to Outperform from Market Perform, citing growth prospects from new drugs Icotyde and Inlexzo, reflecting a positive outlook on the company's future performance.
- New Drug Approvals: Icotyde, a once-daily oral therapy approved by the FDA in March for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, and Inlexzo, approved in September for certain bladder cancer patients, are expected to drive revenue growth for the company.
- Revenue Growth Expectations: Analyst David Risinger raised his revenue projections for J&J, asserting that strong new drug momentum will accelerate revenue growth and potentially lead to stock outperformance.
- Analyst Day Outlook: Johnson & Johnson is set to hold an Analyst Day on December 8, during which management is expected to provide further justification for its goal of achieving double-digit revenue growth by the end of the decade, thereby enhancing market confidence.
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