May 23, 2013
The consumer health market size is increasing as consumers are taking greater responsibility and interest in their own health. Johnson & Johnson owns highly successful brands such as Tylenol, Band-Aid, and Neutrogena. The acquisition of Pfizer's Consumer Healthcare division in 2006 and addition of brands such as Listerine, Lubriderm, Visine, and Neosporin further solidified Johnson & Johnson dominance in consumer health care. Recently however the company has been plagued by a series of product-quality problems, mainly at its McNeil Consumer Healthcare unit, which makes over-the-counter medicines. The company has recalled Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl and other products for problems ranging from musty odors that caused nausea in consumers, to excessive concentrations of active ingredients. [1] The problems with manufacturing have hurt the company's bottom line. In 2010, the company suffered significant losses in this segment with a decrease of 7.7% in revenue over the previous year. [2]
The company's pharmaceutical segment faces many of the challenges that face all pharmaceutical companies, including issues surrounding patent expiration and FDA approval. Johnson & Johnson's pharmaceutical segment maintained its revenue numbers as seen in 2009 with only a 0.6% decline in 2010.[2]
(Read more at Wikinvest
)
