Topic: How To Invest

Q: Pat, please would you offer your opinion of Novo Nordisk? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: Novo Nordisk A/S (ADR), $47.94, symbol NVO on New York (Shares outstanding: 1.9 billion; Market cap: $89.3 billion; www.novonordisk.com), is a major producer of diabetes-care products, including insulin. Its key diabetes products include Victoza for Type 2 diabetes and long-acting insulin Tresiba. The Denmark-based company also makes products for hormone replacement therapy and the treatment of blood coagulation disorders. Novo Nordisk has a strong presence in the diabetes care market with a global market share of 28%. The company also has a strong presence in the total insulin market, with a 46% share of that market. In the three months ended December 31, 2018, Novo’s revenue rose 6.2%, to 29.7 billion Danish kroner ($4.6 billion U.S.) from 28.0 billion ($4.3 billion U.S.) a year earlier. Earnings rose 3.0%, to 8.50 billion Danish kroner ($1.31 billion) from 8.25 billion ($1.27 billion). Sales of diabetes treatments rose, but costs also rose due to higher promotional expenses and severance costs. Global competition in the diabetes market…