Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) Trading 5.3% Higher – Should You Buy?

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)’s share price rose 5.3% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $82.68 and last traded at $82.03. Approximately 4,842,355 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 47% from the average daily volume of 9,184,690 shares. The stock had previously closed at $77.87.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

NVO has been the topic of several recent research reports. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on Novo Nordisk A/S from $156.00 to $105.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 23rd. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $160.00 price objective on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. BNP Paribas upgraded Novo Nordisk A/S to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, December 2nd. UBS Group upgraded Novo Nordisk A/S from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Novo Nordisk A/S from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Sunday, December 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $145.25.

Novo Nordisk A/S Trading Up 5.9 %

The firm has a 50-day moving average of $87.99 and a 200-day moving average of $109.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 0.74. The firm has a market capitalization of $369.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.45.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.88 by $0.03. Novo Nordisk A/S had a return on equity of 84.68% and a net margin of 34.81%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 31st will be given a $0.7874 dividend. This is a positive change from Novo Nordisk A/S’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.51. This represents a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 31st. Novo Nordisk A/S’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 21.88%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Novo Nordisk A/S

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Pacific Point Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,267,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 5.1% in the 4th quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 13,229 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,134,000 after purchasing an additional 643 shares during the period. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Vise Technologies Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 4.4% in the 4th quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 20,443 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,759,000 after purchasing an additional 862 shares during the period. Finally, Gordian Capital Singapore Pte Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 85.8% in the 4th quarter. Gordian Capital Singapore Pte Ltd now owns 6,500 shares of the company’s stock valued at $557,000 after purchasing an additional 3,002 shares during the period. 11.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Novo Nordisk A/S Company Profile

Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease.