Quick Read – S&P Global rates Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Microsoft (MSFT) at AAA, one notch above the federal government itself. – That rating tells income-focused investors that these two businesses are structured to survive credit cycles, recessions, and rate shocks while…
ntinuing to fund dividends and buybacks. – The analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 stocks and Johnson & Johnson wasn’t one of them. Get them here FREE
S&P Global rates only two U.S. public companies AAA, one notch above the federal government itself. S&P downgraded the United States to AA+ in 2011, and Fitch followed in 2023, leaving Uncle Sam a step below the small club still graded at the top of the scale. That club has two members: Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT).
A AAA rating is the highest possible signal of debt-repayment confidence from a major agency. It reflects fortress balance sheets, durable free cash flow, and disciplined capital allocation across full credit cycles, signaling survivability through rate shocks and recessions. For retirement-focused investors who want holdings that can continue paying dividends through recessions and rate shocks, this rating is both rare and meaningful.