NVO•NVO•Novo Nordisk raised its 2026 adjusted sales and operating profit outlook to between 2% growth and a 2% decline, from flat to a 6% fall. Third-quarter Wegovy pill sales reached 5.39 billion Danish crowns, beating the 4.62 billion consensus.
Novo Nordisk raised its full-year 2026 adjusted sales and operating profit forecast for the third time this year, to between 2% growth and a 2% decline at constant exchange rates. The company said higher volumes, particularly in obesity drugs in the United States and international markets, drove its stronger third-quarter performance. Its outlook assumes international sales growth and a decline in the United States.
The Wegovy pill generated 5.39 billion Danish crowns ($810 million) in third-quarter sales, up 53% from the second quarter and above the 4.62 billion consensus. Novo said the pill has about 80% of new-to-brand prescriptions in the United States across reimbursed, cash-pay and telehealth channels. CEO Mike Doustdar said the pill's prescription curve had flattened in recent weeks, which he attributed to seasonality, and that the company hoped for a pickup around Christmas and the New Year.
Third-quarter adjusted operating profit rose 27% to 31.72 billion Danish crowns at constant exchange rates, above analysts' 28.39 billion estimate. Adjusted sales were 79.20 billion crowns, compared with 73.22 billion expected. Novo's U.S. sales of injectable Wegovy fell 13% at constant exchange rates, while combined U.S. Wegovy sales rose 21%; the company is competing with Eli Lilly, which raised its outlook last week.
