US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson on Friday (November 12) announced plans to break up into two listed companies, separating its consumer health arm that sells Band-Aids and Tylenol from its pharmaceutical division.
Johnson & Johnson said in a statement it will create "two global leaders that are better positioned to deliver improved health outcomes for patients and consumers through innovation."
It plans to complete the separation in 18-24 months, creating two publicly traded companies. CEO Alex Gorsky said the decision was made following a "comprehensive
review."
The board and management believe the split is "the best way to accelerate our efforts to serve patients, consumers, and healthcare professionals, create opportunities
for our talented global team, drive profitable growth, and -- most importantly -improve healthcare outcomes for people around the world," he said.