NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.—Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), citing a strong performance across its pharmaceutical business, as well as a solid performance from the U.S. vision care segment, reported Tuesday that third-quarter sales rose 3.6 percent to $20.3 billion. Operational sales (which exclude currency factors) increased 5.5 percent, while domestic sales increased 3.6 percent. Excluding the net impact of acquisitions and divestitures, on an operational basis, worldwide sales increased 6.1 percent, domestic sales increased 3.9 percent and international sales increased 8.5 percent, according to J&J’s announcement.

The U.S. vision care segment was a bright spot for the company’s domestic operations, with overall vision care sales increasing 4.6 percent to $452 million and contact lens sales rising 5.6 percent to $319 million in the quarter. For the first nine months of 2018, U.S. vision care sales rose 18.3 percent to $1.3 billion and sales in the contact lens (Acuvue) segment increased 13.9 percent to $948 million.

Excluding after-tax intangible amortization expense and special items, adjusted net earnings in the third quarter totaled $5.6 billion, representing an increase of 7.3 percent compared with the same period in 2017. In its announcement, J&J also noted that its sales guidance for 2018 is now in the range of $81 billion to $81.4 billion, which reflects an increase in expected operational growth to a range of 5.5 percent to 6.0 percent. Additionally, J&J increased its adjusted earnings guidance for full-year 2018 to a range of $8.13 to $8.18 per share.

"We are pleased with our strong third-quarter performance, which reflects continued above-market growth in our pharmaceutical business, accelerating sales momentum in our consumer business and consistent progress in our medical devices business," J&J chairman and chief executive officer Alex Gorsky said in the announcement.

Worldwide medical devices sales (which includes the vision care segment) decreased 0.2 percent in the third quarter to $6.6 billion. In the U.S. market, medical device sales increased 0.3 percent.

Worldwide operational results, excluding the net impact of acquisitions and divestitures, were driven by the growth of electrophysiology products in the interventional solutions business, Acuvue contact lenses in the vision business, and endocutters and biosurgicals in the advanced surgery business, J&J noted.

Worldwide pharmaceutical sales totaled $10.3 billion in the third quarter, an increase of 6.7 percent compared with the prior year, while domestic pharma sales increased 4.8 percent.