JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) on Thursday lifted its full-year guidance after reporting better-than-expected financials for Q1, largely thanks to its cancer drugs, while sales from its Crohn's disease therapy continued to drop. The New Brunswick, New Jersey-based healthcare giant posted $24.1B in revenue for the quarter, exceeding the consensus by $450M, whi...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) on Thursday lifted its full-year guidance after reporting better-than-expected financials for Q1, largely thanks to its cancer drugs, while sales from its Crohn's disease therapy continued to drop. The New Brunswick, New Jersey-based healthcare giant posted $24.1B in revenue for the quarter, exceeding the consensus by $450M, while its adjusted earnings per share slipped ~3% YoY to $2.70, still topping the estimates by $0.02. Concurrently, the company announced an Enterprise Business Review scheduled for Dec. 8, noting that it remains on track to deliver double-digit growth by the end of the decade. As for Q1, J&J’s multiple myeloma therapy Darzalex, marketed with Genmab ( GMAB ), added $3.96B to the topline compared to the $3.84B projected by analysts, according to Bloomberg data, helping its Innovative Medicine unit to bring in $15.4B with ~11% YoY growth. Cancer cell therapy Carvykti, partnered with Legend Biotech ( LEGN ), added $597M with ~62% YoY growth, and Tecvayli, marketed with Ligand Pharma ( LGND ), and Xarelto blood thinner, marketed with Bayer ( BAYRY ), generated $202M and $642M, implying ~34% YoY growth and ~7% YoY drop, respectively. As for Stelara, which lost U.S. market exclusivity in 2025, the immunology product generated $656M with a ~60% YoY drop compared to a ~48% YoY decline in the preceding quarter. Meanwhile, JNJ’s MedTech segment generated $8.6B with ~8% YoY growth as the company’s vision portfolio of products added $1.4B with ~7% YoY growth, while the Orthopedics unit generated $2.4B with ~6% YoY growth. Looking ahead, J&J ( JNJ ) has increased the midpoint of its sales and adjusted EPS guidance to $100.8B and $11.55, compared to the previously projected $100.5B and $11.53 and the consensus of $100.59B and $11.55, respectively. Commenting on the results, Edmund Ingham , Seeking Alpha Investing Group Leader for Haggerston BioHealth, welcomed J&J’s Q1 beat and its guidance...
A sharp decline in cocoa prices is raising hopes that chocolate makers will process more beans again, which could eventually help bring candy prices down. The recent collapse in cocoa futures has reportedly improved sentiment across the industry after the historic 2024 rally caused demand to fall and companies to reformulate products or use less cocoa. Notably, even with cheaper futures, many manu...
A sharp decline in cocoa prices is raising hopes that chocolate makers will process more beans again, which could eventually help bring candy prices down. The recent collapse in cocoa futures has reportedly improved sentiment across the industry after the historic 2024 rally caused demand to fall and companies to reformulate products or use less cocoa. Notably, even with cheaper futures, many manufacturers are still working through expensive inventory bought earlier, so the benefit is not reaching shoppers right away. However, the combination of weaker demand, better harvests, and expectations for a larger surplus has pushed New York cocoa prices about 75% below their peak, creating the possibility of a gradual recovery in processing and a softer retail market for candy bars. Cocoa prices spiked in 2024 mainly because supply tightened sharply in West Africa, where Ivory Coast and Ghana produce most of the world’s cocoa. Poor harvests were driven by El Niño-related dry weather, followed by heavy rain and crop disease, while aging trees and underinvestment also hurt output. Cocoa prices over the last five years (Seeking Alpha) Some of the companies that have mentioned the impact of high cocoa prices during earnings conference calls include Mondelez International ( MDLZ ), Lindt & Spruengli AG ( LDSVF ), Olam International ( OLGPF ), Nestlé S.A. ( NSRGY ), Conagra Brands ( CAG ), Simply Good Foods ( SMPL ), PepsiCo ( PEP ), Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli AG ( LDSVF ), 1-800-Flowers.com ( FLWS ), Barry Callebaut AG ( BYCBF ), J.M. Smucker Company ( SJM ), Rogers Sugar ( RSGUF ), Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory ( RMCF ), Costco ( COST ), Tootsie Roll Industries ( TR ), Rogers Sugar Inc. ( RSGUF ), Associated British Foods plc (OTCPK:ASBFY), and J&J Snack Foods ( JJSF ). More on cocoa and related stocks Commodities: Oil Climbs On Trump Escalation Threat Commodities: Oil Falls Below $100 On Optimism Over Iran War The Hershey Company (HSY) Analyst/Investor Day Transcri...
Adam Mitula is acting as election agent for Reform candidates in three wards in Tameside area for 7 May polls UK politics live – latest updates A Reform UK activist in the Gorton and Denton byelection who was suspended over racist and antisemitic comments has been named as the election agent for three of the party’s candidates in Manchester ahead of polls on 7 May. Adam Mitula, an interim campaign...
Adam Mitula is acting as election agent for Reform candidates in three wards in Tameside area for 7 May polls UK politics live – latest updates A Reform UK activist in the Gorton and Denton byelection who was suspended over racist and antisemitic comments has been named as the election agent for three of the party’s candidates in Manchester ahead of polls on 7 May. Adam Mitula, an interim campaign manager in the Tameside area, confirmed in February that he had been suspended as a party member “pending investigation”. Continue reading...
Alones Creative Global oil demand is set to decline this year for the first time since the 2020 pandemic, as a price spike driven by the Middle East conflict erodes consumption, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its latest report. Oil demand is now expected to contract by 80 kb/d this year, the IEA said in its April Oil Market Report, compared to a 640 kb/d rise expected in its March ...
Alones Creative Global oil demand is set to decline this year for the first time since the 2020 pandemic, as a price spike driven by the Middle East conflict erodes consumption, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its latest report. Oil demand is now expected to contract by 80 kb/d this year, the IEA said in its April Oil Market Report, compared to a 640 kb/d rise expected in its March report. A projected 1.5 mb/d decline in the second quarter would mark the sharpest drop since COVID-19 slashed fuel consumption. The steepest cuts in demand have so far been concentrated in the Middle East and Asia Pacific, particularly for naphtha, LPG, and jet fuel. “The Iran war has thoroughly upended the global outlook for oil consumption. Demand destruction will spread as scarcity and higher prices persist,” the agency said. The conflict has disrupted oil flows through the Persian Gulf’s key Strait of Hormuz, triggering what the IEA calls the largest supply shock on record. The surge in crude and refined fuel prices is weighing on consumers and eroding demand. Last month, the Paris-based International Energy Agency coordinated a record release of 400M barrels from emergency reserves among members including the U.S., Japan, and Germany to help curb surging prices. Global oil supply plummeted by 10.1 mb/d to 97 mb/d in March, with continued attacks on energy infrastructure in the Middle East and ongoing restrictions to tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz. “Resuming flows through the Strait of Hormuz remains the single most important variable in easing the pressure on energy supplies, prices and the global economy,” the IEA said. The latest development in the fast-evolving situation is the announced US blockade on vessels entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas. The agency's base case assumes regular Middle East oil flows will mostly resume by mid-year, but it also presented a scenario with a longer disruption. “In this case, energy markets and eco...
Ahmed Shihab-Eldin was arrested after reporting on friendly fire incident during US conflict with Iran Middle East crisis live – latest updates The detention of a prize-winning international journalist over his reporting of a friendly fire incident in Kuwait is raising questions about the crackdown on freedom of speech across the Middle East as a result of the US-Israel war with Iran, the Committe...
Ahmed Shihab-Eldin was arrested after reporting on friendly fire incident during US conflict with Iran Middle East crisis live – latest updates The detention of a prize-winning international journalist over his reporting of a friendly fire incident in Kuwait is raising questions about the crackdown on freedom of speech across the Middle East as a result of the US-Israel war with Iran, the Committee to Protect Journalists has warned. Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, born in the US and a Kuwaiti national, was arrested on 3 March during a brief visit to Kuwait. He published footage of a US air force F- 15 E Strike Eagle crashing in al Jahra west of Kuwait city. On his Substack he said the pilot and weapons officer had successfully ejected and survived. He added that video circulating online showed local residents assisting one of the crew in a civilian truck. Continue reading...