Novo Nordisk cuts 2025 guidance on weaker-than-expected Wegovy sales, posts first-quarter profit beat

Core Insights - Novo Nordisk reported a better-than-expected net profit of 29.03 billion Danish kroner ($4.4 billion) for the three-month period ending March, surpassing analyst expectations of 27.8 billion Danish kroner [2] - The company lowered its full-year sales growth forecast to 13% to 21% at constant exchange rates, down from the previous forecast of 16% to 24% [3] Financial Performance - Sales of the Wegovy obesity drug reached 17.36 billion Danish kroner, slightly below the anticipated 18.51 billion Danish kroner [2] - Overall revenues for the company were reported at 78.09 billion Danish kroner, marginally below the expected 78.18 billion Danish kroner [3] Market Dynamics - The company faces increased competition in the weight loss drug market, with rivals such as Roche, AstraZeneca, and AbbVie developing new candidates [4] - Negative sentiment persists due to disappointing trial results for Novo's next-generation obesity drug candidate, CagriSema [4] Competitor Landscape - Eli Lilly, a key U.S. competitor, reported a 45% rise in first-quarter sales, although revenues for its weight-loss drug Zepbound were slightly lower than expected due to reduced drug pricing [5]