Novo Nordisk(US:NVO) Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-10-24 16:03Core Insights - Novo Nordisk (NVO) is undergoing significant leadership changes, with Chairman Helge Lund and six board members resigning due to disagreements with the controlling shareholder, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, regarding the future composition of the board [1][3][4] - The company has faced challenges in maintaining growth, particularly in the competitive GLP-1 drug market, leading to a series of strategic shifts and management changes throughout the year [7][8] Leadership Changes - On October 21, 2023, Novo Nordisk announced the collective resignation of Chairman Helge Lund and six board members, which will take effect after a special shareholders' meeting on November 14 [1][3] - The board's proposal aimed to maintain continuity while adding new members with specific skills, contrasting with the foundation's desire for a broader restructuring [3][4] - Lars Rebien Sørensen, former CEO from 2000 to 2016, is proposed to be the new chairman, with Cees de Jong as vice-chairman and additional board members suggested [3][4] Financial Performance and Market Challenges - Novo Nordisk's sales of the weight-loss drug semaglutide reached 112.76 billion Danish kroner (approximately $16.63 billion) in the first half of the year, surpassing Merck's Keytruda sales [7][8] - However, the company faces increasing competition from other GLP-1 drugs, particularly from Eli Lilly's tirzepatide, which reported sales of $14.73 billion, narrowing the gap with semaglutide [7][8] - The company has lowered its 2025 sales growth forecast from 13%-21% to 8%-14% and operating profit growth from 16%-24% to 10%-16% due to market pressures [8] Restructuring and Cost-Saving Initiatives - Novo Nordisk announced a global restructuring plan aimed at streamlining operations and reallocating resources to capitalize on growth opportunities in diabetes and obesity treatment [5] - The restructuring is expected to save the company 8 billion Danish kroner (approximately $1.2 billion) annually [5] - Following the appointment of new CEO Maziar Mike Doustdar, the company initiated a significant cost-cutting plan, including a workforce reduction of 9,000 employees, representing about 11.5% of its total workforce [4][5] Stock Performance and Market Capitalization - Novo Nordisk's stock has seen a decline of over 50% in the past year, with its market capitalization dropping from over $500 billion to $236.3 billion, resulting in a loss of approximately $278 billion [8]