Johnson & Johnson’s profit jumps 37%

By Tess Stynes

NEW YORK 

Johnson & Johnson said its fourth-quarter earnings rose 37% as the health-care company’s pharmaceutical segment continued to lead sales growth                                         

For the year, the maker f products from Band-Aids to knee-replacement parts forecast per-share earnings of $5.75 to $5.85
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected a per-share profit of $5.85                                         
J&J reported a profit of $3.52 billion, or $1.23 a share, up from $2.57 billion, or 91 cents a share, a year earlier
Excluding an increase in its litigation accrual, acquisition-related impacts and other items, adjusted earnings rose to $1.24 from $1.19
Revenue increased 4.5% to $18.36 billion                                         
Analysts expected a per-share profit of $1.20 and revenue of $17.95 billion