Novo Nordisk raised its full-year adjusted sales and operating profit outlook to -2% to +2% growth, driven by GLP-1 volume growth in obesity treatments.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Novo Nordisk has raised its full-year outlook for 2026, citing increased expectations for GLP-1 product sales. The Danish weight-loss drug maker reported third-quarter earnings that exceeded expectations, driven largely by sales of its Wegovy pill.
According to a press release from Novo Nordisk, the company has updated its full-year 2026 outlook. The company now expects adjusted revenue and adjusted operating profit growth to be between negative 2% and 2% at constant exchange rates (CER). This is an increase from its previous guidance issued in August, which projected full-year sales and operating profits at negative 6% to flat for both metrics.
In the third quarter of 2026, Novo reported the following financial results:
| Metric | DKK Million | Growth (DKK) | Growth (CER) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net sales | 79,195 | 6% | 4% |
| Operating profit | 23,011 | (3%) | (9%) |
| Adjusted net sales | 79,195 | 6% | 4% |
| Adjusted operating profit | 31,720 | 34% | 27% |
Novo Nordisk stated that Q3 2026 adjusted operating profit increased by 27% at CER, driven by GLP-1 sales growth and a "favourable comparison base following DKK 9 billion of company-wide transformation costs recognised in Q3 2025."
However, reported operating profit decreased by 9% at CER. The company attributed this decline to DKK 8.7 billion of non-cash impairment charges during the quarter, which included DKK 4.6 billion related to ziltivekimab and DKK 4.1 billion related to the "right-sizing of manufacturing network."
Sales for the Wegovy pill reached DKK 5,394 million in the third quarter. According to the company, the Wegovy pill has been launched in the US, UAE, UK, and Germany, with recent launches in four additional countries bringing the total number of launched markets to eight. Novo Nordisk reports that the Wegovy franchise maintains a US market share of more than 50% in the branded obesity market based on new patient starts.
Regarding the Ozempic pill, which launched in the US in May, the company reports "encouraging early momentum," noting that weekly new-to-brand prescriptions (NBRx) are currently up approximately 100% compared to pre-launch levels under the Rybelsus brand.
In its clinical pipeline, Novo Nordisk reported the following:
"We delivered a stronger-than-expected third quarter and are raising our full-year outlook for adjusted sales and adjusted operating profit," said Mike Doustdar, president and CEO of Novo.
Novo Nordisk is attempting to regain momentum after a year in which it fell behind its rival, Eli Lilly. The company's updated guidance reflects a shift in expectations for its GLP-1 portfolio, which continues to see volume growth across both US and international operations, primarily within the obesity segment.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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