Novo Nordisk cuts full-year sales and profit guidance, stock plunges

Published 29/07/2025, 12:36
© Reuters

Investing.com -- Novo Nordisk slashed its full-year 2025 guidance on Tuesday, sending its shares tumbling more than 17% in premarket trading.

The Danish drugmaker now expects 2025 sales growth of 8–14% and operating profit growth of 10–16% at constant exchange rates (CER), down from prior forecasts of 13–21% and 16–24%, respectively. 

The company stated that the revisions were driven by weaker expectations for Wegovy and Ozempic in the United States, as well as lower-than-expected uptake in select international markets.

“Sales growth in the first six months of 2025 was positively impacted by gross-to-net sales adjustments related to prior years,” the company said, citing a DKK 3 billion adjustment in the second quarter linked to the 340B provision. 

However, it noted that sales growth in the second half of the year is expected to slow, particularly for Wegovy in the U.S. obesity market.

Despite a U.S. Food and Drug Administration deadline in May 2025 for ending mass compounding, Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) said “unsafe and unlawful mass compounding has continued,” contributing to lower-than-expected market penetration for Wegovy.

Ozempic is facing increasing competition in the U.S. diabetes market, while Wegovy has seen slower-than-expected uptake in select international markets.

The company also expects financial items (net) for 2025 to result in a gain of around DKK 3 billion, primarily driven by hedging gains on the U.S. dollar.

Free cash flow is now projected at DKK 35–45 billion, reflecting softer-than-planned sales and lower volume growth of GLP-1-based treatments.

The company’s full half-year financial results will be published on August 6.

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