Key Takeaways
- Novo Nordisk cut its outlook as it sees slowing demand for its GLP-1 weight loss and diabetes treatments.
- Third-quarter profit and revenue was short of analysts’ estimates.
U.S.-listed shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) fell after the drugmaker scaled back its outlook, citing disappointing demand for its GLP-1 weight loss and diabetes drugs as competition in the sector increases.
Novo Nordisk, the company behind Wegovy and Ozempic, posted third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of DK4.50 ($0.69), DK20 ($0.03) below the average estimate of analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha. Revenue was up 5.1% to DK74.98 billion ($11.53 billion), also short of forecasts.
Why This News Matters
Novo Nordisk’s weaker results indicate mounting pressure in the weight-loss drug market that it once dominated. The maker of Ozempic and Wegovy is facing tougher competition, slower demand, and pricing pressures—and has now cut its full-year outlook for the fourth time in 2025.
Wegovy sales rose 18% to DK20.35 billion ($3.13 billion), below expectations. Ozempic sales added 3% to DK30.74 billion ($4.73 billion), better than anticipated.
The company now sees full-year operating profit growth of 4% to 7%, and sales of 8% to 11%. The previous outlook was for operating profit to gain 4% to 20% and sales to advance 8% to 14%. It said the change “reflects lowered growth expectations for Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 treatments within diabetes and obesity.” It’s the fourth time the company narrowed its guidance this year.
U.S.-listed shares of Novo Nordisk have lost about 46% of their value this year. The shares were recently off about 4%. Read Investopedia’s full coverage of today’s trading here.