Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) Stock Price Up 3.9% - Still a Buy?

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO - Get Free Report)'s share price traded up 3.9% on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $91.90 and last traded at $90.90. 2,683,891 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 70% from the average session volume of 8,802,358 shares. The stock had previously closed at $87.50.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have commented on the company. Stifel Nicolaus lowered Novo Nordisk A/S from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Sunday, December 29th. 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 for the company in a research report on Monday, December 23rd. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $160.00 target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein raised Novo Nordisk A/S from an "underperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Novo Nordisk A/S has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $145.25.

Novo Nordisk A/S Trading Down 3.3 %

The firm has a market cap of $394.42 billion, a PE ratio of 26.78, a PEG ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 0.42. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $84.91 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $105.74. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62.

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%. Equities analysts forecast that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.84 EPS for the current year.

Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend

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

Institutional Trading of Novo Nordisk A/S

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Center for Financial Planning Inc. grew its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 72.4% during the fourth quarter. Center for Financial Planning Inc. now owns 293 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 123 shares during the period. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL boosted its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 2,727.3% in the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 311 shares of the company's stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the period. Park Square Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in Novo Nordisk A/S in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Capital Performance Advisors LLP bought a new position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Institutional investors own 11.54% of the company's stock.

About Novo Nordisk A/S

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.