Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) Shares Down 1.2% After Analyst Downgrade

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) was down 1.2% during trading on Wednesday after Kepler Capital Markets downgraded the stock from a buy rating to a hold rating. The company traded as low as $37.65 and last traded at $38.1270. Approximately 54,793,532 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 104% from the average daily volume of 26,806,613 shares. The stock had previously closed at $38.59.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on NVO. Jefferies Financial Group raised Novo Nordisk A/S from an “underperform” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. CICC Research initiated coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Friday, January 9th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $73.50 price objective for the company. Zacks Research cut shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “underweight” rating and set a $42.00 target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $56.07.

Key Headlines Impacting Novo Nordisk A/S

Here are the key news stories impacting Novo Nordisk A/S this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Novo signed a partnership with Vivtex to license drug‑delivery technology to develop next‑generation oral medicines for obesity and diabetes — a deal worth up to $2.1 billion that advances oral GLP and next‑gen delivery options (could help diversify future revenue). WSJ: Novo Nordisk, Vivtex deal
• Positive Sentiment: Phase‑2 data from a China trial of a triple‑agonist (UBT251) showed up to ~19.7% mean weight loss at 24 weeks — a clinical success that highlights the company’s broader pipeline beyond the drug that recently underperformed. Reuters: UBT251 trial
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators argue the steep sell‑off has created a deep‑value buying opportunity for long‑term investors, pointing to Novo’s scale, margins and remaining pipeline optionality. Benzinga: Deep‑value thesis
• Neutral Sentiment: Research/report coverage highlights Novo’s digital transformation and innovation initiatives — useful context on structural strengths but unlikely to move near‑term stock price. Yahoo/Globe: Digital transformation report
• Negative Sentiment: Major setback: Novo’s CagriSema failed to demonstrate non‑inferior weight loss vs. Eli Lilly’s Zepbound in a head‑to‑head phase‑3 trial — the result triggered analyst downgrades and raises concerns about future market share and growth beyond semaglutide. CNBC: CagriSema trial coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Novo announced plans to cut U.S. list prices for Wegovy and Ozempic by up to 50% (effective 2027) — a move to address access and competitive pressure that will likely pressure top‑line growth and margins near term. Reuters: Price cut report
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory/ legal risk: a shareholder law firm announced an investigation into possible false/misleading statements by Novo — potential litigation risk and reputational drag. GlobeNewsWire: Schall Law Firm investigation
• Negative Sentiment: Follow‑on impact: several banks (including Deutsche Bank, Kepler and others) downgraded or cut targets, and the stock has plunged toward 52‑week lows — amplifying selling pressure as momentum traders and funds react. AmericanBankingNews: Downgrades

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Novo Nordisk A/S

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. True Wealth Design LLC boosted its stake in Novo Nordisk A/S by 209.8% in the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 443 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 174.1% in the second quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 444 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 282 shares in the last quarter. Guerra Advisors Inc bought a new position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. purchased a new position in Novo Nordisk A/S during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Finally, Strengthening Families & Communities LLC purchased a new position in Novo Nordisk A/S during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 11.54% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Down 1.2%

The stock’s fifty day moving average is $53.35 and its two-hundred day moving average is $53.14. The firm has a market cap of $170.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.99 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $1.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $12.43 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.97 billion. Novo Nordisk A/S had a return on equity of 68.91% and a net margin of 33.03%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.84 earnings per share for the current year.

Novo Nordisk A/S Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 30th will be given a dividend of $1.2751 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 541.0%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 30th. Novo Nordisk A/S’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 23.63%.

About Novo Nordisk A/S

Novo Nordisk A/S is a Danish multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Bagsværd, Denmark, best known for its leadership in diabetes care and metabolic health. The company traces its roots to early Danish insulin production in the 1920s and was established in its current form through a 1989 merger of predecessor companies. Novo Nordisk develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and devices that address chronic and serious diseases, with a strong emphasis on long-term treatment and patient support.

The company’s core product portfolio centers on diabetes therapies, including a range of insulins and modern incretin-based treatments.