Novo Nordisk Stock Rebounds Amid Strong Market Demand
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Source: Fool
- Market Share Decline: In 2025, Novo Nordisk's stock plummeted 40% as it lost market share to competitors like Eli Lilly, leading to a nearly 30% drop in earnings from $6.53 per share in Q1 to $4.50 in Q3, posing challenges for the company's future market position.
- Stock Price Rebound: At the start of 2026, Novo Nordisk's stock rose 3% on the first trading day of the year, and by Thursday's close, it had increased 22% year-to-date, indicating a recovery in investor confidence, possibly due to tax-loss harvesting buying.
- Strong Prescription Data: The oral version of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy drug saw 18,000 prescriptions in its second week on the market, significantly outpacing Eli Lilly's injectable Zepbound at 8,000, suggesting that demand for convenient oral GLP-1 medications may surpass that of injectable alternatives, further boosting Novo Nordisk's market performance.
- Valuation Appeal: With a current price-to-earnings ratio of only 17 and strong demand for its drugs, analysts predict that Novo Nordisk's stock will continue to rebound in 2026, highlighting its potential growth in a competitive market.
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.
