NVO Stock Jumps Overnight: Wegovy Pill Triggers ‘Strongest-Ever’ GLP-1 Launch And Forces Outlook Raise

• Wegovy pill prescriptions have now topped 2 million since January, including 1.3 million during Q1 alone.
• CEO Mike Doustdar said that Wegovy is “the most efficacious GLP-1 tablet” and is already used by more than one million patients.
• Novo now expects adjusted sales and operating profit declines of 4%-12% in 2026, up from prior guidance of up to a 13% decline.

U.S.-listed shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) jumped 7% overnight on Wednesday after the drugmaker raised its 2026 outlook on explosive demand for its new Wegovy pill, which it called the “strongest-ever” GLP-1 launch in the U.S.

Novo’s U.S.-listed shares jumped over 1% on Tuesday, logging its fourth straight session of gains. The Danish drugmaker trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 13.8x, making it nearly twice as cheap as Eli Lilly, which trades at 26.9x.

Wegovy Pill Prescriptions Top 2M

Novo said total prescriptions for the Wegovy pill have now exceeded 2 million since its January launch, including 1.3 million prescriptions during the first quarter alone. Novo also said weekly prescriptions surpassed 200,000 for the week ending April 17, helping fuel optimism that the company may finally be regaining momentum in the intensifying obesity-drug race.

“Wegovy is driving a strong start to 2026 for Novo Nordisk, led by the rapid adoption of Wegovy pill - the most efficacious GLP-1 tablet now used by more than one million patients since its January launch.” CEO Mike Doustdar said in a statement. He added that Wegovy is “defining a novel category as the only oral peptide for the treatment of obesity.”

Wegovy Pill Frenzy Lifts Novo Forecast

Novo said the strength of its GLP-1 portfolio prompted the company to raise its 2026 outlook despite continued pricing pressure in the U.S. obesity market. The company now expects adjusted sales growth and adjusted operating profit growth to decline between 4% and 12% at constant exchange rates, compared with prior guidance calling for a potential 13% decline.

Novo reported first-quarter (Q1) adjusted operating profit of 32.9 billion Danish kroner ($5 billion), down 15% from a year earlier. Meanwhile, sales rose 32% to 96.8 billion kroner, with obesity-care sales jumping 22% on strong global demand for GLP-1 weight-loss treatments.

Adjusted sales in the U.S. declined 11% on the back of pricing pressure, while international sales rose 6% due to higher prescription volumes. Novo said Wegovy pill generated 2.26 billion kroner in first-quarter sales, helped partly by initial stocking orders from wholesalers and telehealth partners ahead of the launch. The company also expects the first launches of Wegovy outside the U.S. during the second half of this year. 

Novo Expands Beyond Shots Amid Lilly Pressure 

The blockbuster oral launch comes as Novo attempts to defend its obesity-drug leadership against intensifying pressure from Eli Lilly. Novo has spent much of the past year under pressure following disappointing obesity-drug trial results, multiple outlook cuts, leadership changes and rising competition from Lilly’s Zepbound.

The rivalry intensified further last month after Lilly launched its own obesity pill, Foundayo, setting up a direct oral GLP-1 battle. Recent investor concerns also centered on whether Novo’s oral pill could offset aggressive pricing pressure and slower injectable growth. 

Novo has aggressively marketed its oral pill through telehealth partnerships, lower pricing and national advertising campaigns, including a Super Bowl commercial featuring DJ Khaled. Novo also said many early users were entirely new to GLP-1 drugs, highlighting demand from patients unwilling to use injections.

Last month, the company launched Wegovy HD in the U.S., a higher-dose once-weekly injection containing 7.2 milligrams of Semaglutide. Novo said that the higher-dose treatment delivered an average weight loss of 21% in trials. Novo expects decisions later this year on a dedicated single-dose 7.2 milligram pen in Europe and the U.K. 

Beyond Wegovy, Novo initiated the Phase 3 Amaze program for Zenagamtide and secured FDA approval for Awiqli, the first once-weekly basal insulin for type 2 diabetes.

How Do Retail Traders Feel About NVO?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for NVO was ‘extremely bullish’ amid a 430% jump in 24-hour message volumes. 

One user called the results a “beat and raise. $50 incoming then $60 breakout.”

Another user said, “don’t forget the current P/E ratio. This stock is going to double soon. This is the best saving account you will fine this year.”

NVO stock has declined 33% over the past year. 

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