Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) Stock Price Up 1% - Still a Buy?

Shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO - Get Free Report) traded up 1% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $76.64 and last traded at $76.65. 1,672,381 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 81% from the average session volume of 8,702,514 shares. The stock had previously closed at $75.89.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus downgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, March 3rd. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from $156.00 to $105.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, December 23rd. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Monday, December 2nd. Finally, Kepler Capital Markets upgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Novo Nordisk A/S currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $145.25.

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Novo Nordisk A/S Trading Up 1.8 %

The business's fifty day moving average is $83.95 and its 200-day moving average is $103.01. The firm has a market cap of $346.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 0.74.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.88 by $0.03. Novo Nordisk A/S had a net margin of 34.81% and a return on equity of 84.68%. Analysts predict that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.84 EPS for the current year.

Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 8th. Investors of record on Monday, March 31st will be issued a $0.7874 dividend. This represents a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 31st. This is a positive change from Novo Nordisk A/S's previous semi-annual dividend of $0.51. Novo Nordisk A/S's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 47.72%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Center for Financial Planning Inc. raised its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 72.4% during the 4th quarter. Center for Financial Planning Inc. now owns 293 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL raised its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 2,727.3% during the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 311 shares of the company's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Park Square Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Transce3nd LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Institutional investors own 11.54% of the company's stock.

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.