Dueling Fools
November 4, 1998
Johnson vs. Johnson
Johnson & Johnson price (11/3/98): $82 3/16
Life must be good for consumer products and pharmaceuticals giant Johnson & Johnson <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: JNJ)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: JNJ)") end if %>. After all, who can dislike the company behind the "No More Tears" baby shampoo?
Well, apparently we all do not agree on the merits of this Drip Portfolio staple. This week Jeff Fischer (TMF Jeff) and Brian Graney (TMF Panic) are Dueling Fools. Jeff thinks the stock has all the shine and luster of a newborn's scalp. Brian, in his Dueling Fools debut, thinks shareholders should expect more tears. Who will prevail? Read on, another great Duel awaits.
And don't miss this week's Duel Flashback, where we take a look back at who had the fizz and who went flat in the Coca-Cola <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: KO)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: KO)") end if %> Duel.
You Get to Vote!
Once you've read the arguments and the rebuttals, it's your time to cast your vote. We'll tabulate results each week and revisit them from time to time to see whether you were right! As always, we invite you to join us in the Dueling Fools Message board to continue the duel.
[Any suggestions, comments, praise, or flames, please send them along to the Dueling Fools Team.]
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The Bull... Not only is Johnson & Johnson a widely respected company, it's one of the most consistent in the country, with 65 years (and counting) of consecutive sales growth and nearly forty years of consecutive earnings growth. Therefore, it's ironic that Brian, my opponent, will focus on the past performance of Johnson & Johnson when presenting his bear argument; and it's equally ironic that I'll focus on the future plans of the company in my bull argument rather than wax "prosthetic" about J&J's amazing ability to build wealth in the past. Continue... |
The Bear... Johnson & Johnson is one of those brand names that seems to be everywhere. Its Band-Aid brand is the default name for adhesive bandages, much like Kleenex is the default name for tissues and Jacuzzi is the default name for hot tubs. J&J has about half of the $42 million annual market for baby lotions, and its Tylenol non-prescription pain reliever is the market leader with a roughly 22% share. Heck, even the Motley Fool's own soccer team sports a Johnson & Johnson first aid kit -- which has been used quite extensively this season, I might add. Continue... |
Results for last week's American Express Duel
| Answer | Percentage |
| I can't make up my mind | 3% |
| TMF Parlay's Bull argument |
36% |
| TMF Max's Bear argument |
46% |
| They were both excellent |
15% |
| They were both lame |
0% |