Novo Nordisk and Merck's Rebound Prospects for 2026
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Source: Fool
- Novo Nordisk Market Share Recovery: Despite losing market share in the weight management drug sector last year, Novo Nordisk is expected to regain competitive advantage in 2026 through label expansions and the approval of an oral version of Wegovy, driving a rebound in performance.
- New Drug Approval Prospects: Novo Nordisk's next-gen anti-obesity drug, CagriSema, is awaiting regulatory approval, with clinical trial results surpassing existing drugs, which will provide new growth momentum and further solidify its market position.
- Merck Clinical Progress: Merck performed well at the end of 2025 and is expected to benefit in 2026 from clinical advancements in drugs like Winrevair and CD388, particularly CD388, which aims to address the ineffectiveness of current flu vaccines, meeting market needs.
- Keytruda New Formulation Impact: Merck's newly approved subcutaneous formulation of Keytruda is expected to attract patients from the old formulation, helping the company maintain market competitiveness post-2028 patent expiration, although financial performance may remain subdued this year.
Analyst Views on NVO
Wall Street analysts forecast NVO stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for NVO is 54.67 USD with a low forecast of 42.00 USD and a high forecast of 70.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
8 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
3 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 63.980
Low
42.00
Averages
54.67
High
70.00
Current: 63.980
Low
42.00
Averages
54.67
High
70.00
About NVO
Novo Nordisk A/S is a global healthcare company engaged in diabetes care. The Company is also engaged in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products. The Company operates through two business segments: diabetes and obesity care, and biopharmaceuticals. The Company's diabetes and obesity care segment covers insulin, GLP-1, other protein-related products, such as glucagon, protein-related delivery systems and needles, and oral anti-diabetic drugs. The Company's biopharmaceuticals segment covers the therapy areas of hemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. The Company also offers Saxenda product to treat obesity. It offers a range of products, including NovoLog/NovoRapid; NovoLog Mix/NovoMix; Prandin/NovoNorm; NovoSeven; Norditropin, and Vagifem. As of December 31, 2016, it marketed its products in over 180 countries. Its regional structure consists of two commercial units: North America and International Operations.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
