JNJ vs. KO: Johnson & Johnson vs. Coca-Cola Stock Comparison
How do Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Coca-Cola (KO) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is classified in the Health Care sector (Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences), whereas Coca-Cola (KO) belongs to Consumer Staples (Food, Beverage & Tobacco) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.
| Profile Item | JNJ | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Johnson & Johnson | The Coca-Cola Company |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Food, Beverage & Tobacco |
| GICS Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Beverages |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Soft Drinks & Non-alcoholic Beverages |
| Market Capitalization | 664.95 billion USD | 411.56 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 2, 1962 | January 2, 1962 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | JNJ | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 53.82% | 39.33% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 27.51% | 22.59% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 14.71% | 14.43% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | JNJ | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 21.23% | 18.90% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.21 | 0.27 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -18.41% | -17.27% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 6.93M | 16.05M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | JNJ | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 2.33 | 1.85 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 3.66 | 3.17 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both companies show strong equity returns, but Coca-Cola (KO) at 40.59% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 20.02% also sits in the top quartile.
JNJ
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
20.02%
- Max
- 109.18%
- JNJ
- 20.02%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
KO
Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group
40.59%
- KO
- 40.59%
- Max
- 32.02%
- Q3
- 16.61%
- Median
- 10.05%
- Q1
- 4.10%
- Min
- -10.50%
Net Margin (TTM)
Coca-Cola (KO) at 28.65% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 16.20% also retains a top-quartile share.
JNJ
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
16.20%
- Max
- 18.05%
- JNJ
- 16.20%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
KO
Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group
28.65%
- KO
- 28.65%
- Max
- 24.83%
- Q3
- 11.22%
- Median
- 5.94%
- Q1
- 2.05%
- Min
- -11.49%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 25.74% and Coca-Cola (KO) at 33.36% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
JNJ
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
25.74%
- Max
- 83.12%
- JNJ
- 25.74%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
KO
Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group
33.36%
- Max
- 34.91%
- KO
- 33.36%
- Q3
- 17.57%
- Median
- 11.06%
- Q1
- 4.15%
- Min
- -15.06%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | JNJ | KO |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 20.02% | 40.59% |
| ROA (TTM) | 8.46% | 9.59% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 16.20% | 28.65% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 25.74% | 33.36% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 67.78% | 62.32% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 6.05% and Coca-Cola (KO) at 1.87% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 90.50% and Coca-Cola (KO) at 23.58% sit in the top peer quartile for EPS growth, so each is compounding per-share earnings faster than typical industry peers.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | JNJ | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 6.05% | 1.87% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 5.60% | 3.69% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 90.50% | 23.58% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 17.90% | 11.55% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Coca-Cola (KO) at 1.38 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 1.02 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for JNJ.
JNJ
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.02
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- JNJ
- 1.02
- Min
- 0.10
KO
Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group
1.38
- Max
- 4.01
- Q3
- 2.35
- Median
- 1.53
- KO
- 1.38
- Q1
- 1.02
- Min
- 0.33
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 0.55 and Coca-Cola (KO) at 1.07 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
JNJ
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.55
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- JNJ
- 0.55
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
KO
Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group
1.07
- Max
- 2.19
- Q3
- 1.11
- KO
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.68
- Q1
- 0.33
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | JNJ | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.02 | 1.38 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.55 | 1.07 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 0.79 | 1.48 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Coca-Cola (KO) at 2.19% pays an industry-typical yield; Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 1.94% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.
JNJ
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.94%
- JNJ
- 1.94%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
KO
Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group
2.19%
- Max
- 9.38%
- Q3
- 3.77%
- KO
- 2.19%
- Median
- 1.76%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Coca-Cola (KO) at 61.95% keeps its payout in the industry’s typical band, while Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 80.12% pays out more than any of its peers — the most stretched cover in its group.
JNJ
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
80.12%
- JNJ
- 80.12%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
KO
Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group
61.95%
- Max
- 199.19%
- Q3
- 81.03%
- KO
- 61.95%
- Median
- 41.52%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | JNJ | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.94% | 2.19% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 80.12% | 61.95% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 41.92 and Coca-Cola (KO) at 28.22 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.
JNJ
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
41.92
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- JNJ
- 41.92
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
KO
Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group
28.22
- Max
- 52.52
- Q3
- 30.78
- KO
- 28.22
- Median
- 18.76
- Q1
- 12.77
- Min
- 4.72
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 6.69 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Coca-Cola (KO) at 8.06 clears its benchmark range — KO looks notably rich on sales.
JNJ
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
6.69
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- JNJ
- 6.69
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
KO
Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group
8.06
- KO
- 8.06
- Max
- 4.64
- Q3
- 2.27
- Median
- 1.17
- Q1
- 0.52
- Min
- 0.00
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Both look rich against book: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 8.16 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Coca-Cola (KO) at 11.01 prices even higher, above its industry range.
JNJ
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
8.16
- Max
- 13.53
- JNJ
- 8.16
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
KO
Food, Beverage & Tobacco industry group
11.01
- KO
- 11.01
- Max
- 6.35
- Q3
- 3.07
- Median
- 1.58
- Q1
- 0.82
- Min
- 0.00
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | JNJ | KO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 41.92 | 28.22 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 6.69 | 8.06 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 8.16 | 11.01 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 2.78% | 1.06% |