BN
BusinessAI Desk•11 views

Novo Nordisk Q1 2026 Earnings: Wegovy Sales Drive Surge

Novo Nordisk reported strong first-quarter 2026 earnings, with total sales jumping 32% to 96.8 billion Danish kroner, significantly beating analyst expectations. The growth was primarily fueled by the company's obesity care segment, which rose 22%. A key development was the successful U.S. launch of the oral Wegovy pill, which saw strong initial prescription volumes. Due to these robust GLP-1 product sales, Novo Nordisk subsequently raised its full-year guidance, though it projected a slight contraction in adjusted sales and operating profit for the full year.

Ad slot
Novo Nordisk Q1 2026 Earnings: Wegovy Sales Drive Surge

Novo Nordisk significantly raised its full-year profit guidance following a first-quarter earnings report that surpassed analyst expectations, driven largely by blockbuster weight-loss drug sales.

Q1 2026 Financial Performance

The Danish pharmaceutical company reported robust financial results for the first quarter of 2026. Key figures highlighted include:

  • Total Sales: Jumped 32% on a constant currency basis, reaching 96.8 billion Danish kroner (approximately $15.2 billion). This figure significantly exceeded the analyst consensus of 71.3 billion kroner (FactSet).
  • Operating Profit: Surged 65% year-on-year to 59.618 billion kroner, substantially beating expectations of 31.7 billion kroner.

Key Product Performance Drivers

The growth was attributed to strong performance across Novo's obesity care portfolio, though specific drug sales showed varied trends:

  • Obesity Care Category: The broader segment saw adjusted constant currency sales rise by 22%.
  • Wegovy (Injectable): Sales for the injectable Wegovy drug increased by 12% year-on-year.
  • Ozempic: Sales for Ozempic experienced an 8% decline.
Ad slot

Novo noted that the sales increases were positively influenced by a provision reversal related to the 340B Drug Pricing Program in the United States.

Breakthrough: Oral Wegovy Pill Launch

A major highlight was the first quarter covering sales of Novo's oral weight loss drug, the Wegovy pill, in the U.S. This launch was highly successful:

  • Sales of the pill amounted to 2.26 billion kroner.
  • The pill achieved what Novo described as the strongest-ever GLP-1 volume launch in the U.S., recording approximately 1.3 million prescriptions in the first three months.

Full-Year Guidance Adjustment

Based on the strong trajectory of GLP-1 product sales, Novo adjusted its outlook for the full year 2026:

  • Adjusted Sales Guidance: The company now expects adjusted sales to contract by -4% to -12% on a currency-adjusted basis.
  • Adjusted Operating Profit Guidance: Growth in adjusted operating profit is now projected to fall within the range of -4% to -12%.
Ad slot