Johnson & Johnson plans to separate Orthopaedics business

Johnson & Johnson announced the company’s intent to separate its Orthopaedics business to enhance the strategic and operational focus of each company and drive value for stakeholders. The intended separation would further strengthen the focus of Johnson & Johnson as an innovation powerhouse, serving areas of high unmet needs across Innovative Medicine and MedTech, accelerating the ongoing shift of the company’s MedTech portfolio toward higher-growth and higher-margin markets. The transaction would establish a standalone orthopaedics business, operating as DePuy Synthes, that would be the largest, most comprehensive orthopaedics-focused company with leading market share positions across major categories. “This transaction enables Johnson & Johnson to further strengthen its focus and investment toward higher-growth areas where we can meaningfully extend and improve patient lives,” said Joaquin Duato, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Johnson & Johnson. “The planned separation reflects our long-standing commitment to portfolio optimization and value creation. We are confident that our Orthopaedics business will be better positioned to improve top-line growth and operating margins as a standalone business.” Following the completion of the separation, Johnson & Johnson will retain a leadership position in six key growth areas across its Innovative Medicine and MedTech segments – Oncology, Immunology, Neuroscience, Cardiovascular, Surgery and Vision. The Company expects that the separation would increase its top-line growth and operating margins. Johnson & Johnson remains committed to maintaining a strong balance sheet and its consistent capital allocation priorities of R&D investment, annually increasing competitive dividends, value-creating acquisitions and share repurchases.