Flputnam Investment Management Co. Reduces Holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)

Flputnam Investment Management Co. lessened its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) by 13.6% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 5,695 shares of the company’s stock after selling 897 shares during the period. Flputnam Investment Management Co.’s holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $490,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Novo Nordisk A/S in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Center for Financial Planning Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 72.4% in the fourth quarter. Center for Financial Planning Inc. now owns 293 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in the third quarter valued at $42,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 196.8% during the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 469 shares of the company’s stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 311 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Albion Financial Group UT increased its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 121.4% during the 4th quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 507 shares of the company’s stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 278 shares in the last quarter. 11.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

NVO has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, December 2nd. Stifel Nicolaus lowered shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday. StockNews.com downgraded Novo Nordisk A/S from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Sunday, December 29th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and set a $160.00 price objective on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded Novo Nordisk A/S from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Novo Nordisk A/S has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $145.25.

Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Down 1.4 %

Shares of NVO opened at $89.42 on Tuesday. Novo Nordisk A/S has a fifty-two week low of $77.82 and a fifty-two week high of $148.15. The company’s fifty day moving average is $84.84 and its two-hundred day moving average is $106.18. The firm has a market cap of $401.28 billion, a PE ratio of 27.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.88 by $0.03. Novo Nordisk A/S had a return on equity of 84.68% and a net margin of 34.81%. Analysts forecast that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.84 earnings per share for the current year.

Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 8th. Investors of record on Monday, March 31st will be given a dividend of $0.7874 per share. This represents a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 31st. This is an increase from Novo Nordisk A/S’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.51. Novo Nordisk A/S’s dividend payout ratio is 47.72%.

About Novo Nordisk A/S

Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease.