Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Wall Street is trying to figure out whether the U.S. insurance industry will bear any costs from a record $4.69 billion judgement against Johnson & Johnson awarded to customers and their families who claimed that asbestos-contaminated talc caused ovarian cancer. Analysts have flagged talc litigation as a financial risk for insurers. On company earnings calls in recent days, they peppered executives with questions about where exposure might lie. Many of the policies were written decades ago, and some liability may have been offloaded to reinsurers, making it hard to tell who might be on the hook for payments. J&J has repeatedly denied that its talc products, including its baby powder, contain asbestos or cause cancer.

A government panel has recommended that the company pay compensation of at least $28,500 to each Indian patient who suffered from artificial hip implants the U.S. healthcare firm recalled in 2010. In 2013, the firm agreed to pay nearly $2.5 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits from those in the United States who said they were injured by the firms ASR hip implants after data suggested they failed at a higher-than-expected rate. There were 4,700 potentially faulty implants sold in India prior to 2010.

JNJ is reporting quarterly profit above expectations. The firm is also raising full-year forecasts on the back of better than expected demand for its cancer drugs.

JNJ is announcing an agreement to purchase all outstanding shares Ci:z Holdings Co for 230 billion Yen ($2.04 Billion), a 55% premium.

The [b]trade[/b] is expected to give JNJ ownership of the popular Dr.Ci:Labo, Labo Labo and Genomer brands.