Novo Nordisk lifts 2026 outlook after Wegovy pill sales beat estimates

Novo Nordisk raised its 2026 outlook after third-quarter sales of its Wegovy weight-loss pill reached 5.39 billion Danish kroner, beating analyst expectations as the company reported growth in obesity-treatment sales. The revised forecast reflects stronger expected demand for its GLP-1 medicines, while lower realized prices continue to offset some volume growth, the company said. The pill sales, equivalent to about $810 million to $811 million, exceeded estimates cited by analysts and rose 53% from the second quarter. Novo said the tablet accounted for about 80% of new-to-brand prescriptions for obesity pills in the United States during the quarter. That figure is the company’s estimate; prescription share does not show how many patients switched from injectable treatment. Novo now expects adjusted sales and adjusted operating profit for 2026 to range from a 2% decline to 2% growth at constant exchange rates. Its previous forecast was for both measures to fall between 6% and flat. The company said the improved outlook was mainly driven by higher expected sales of its GLP-1 medicines. Obesity-treatment sales rose 22% at constant exchange rates to 26.146 billion kroner in the...