Novartis AG $NVS Shares Sold by China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd.

Key Points

• China Universal Asset Management cut its Novartis stake by 66.6% in the third quarter, selling 32,616 shares and retaining 16,384 shares valued at approximately $2.4 million.
• Novartis reported a strong quarterly performance, with EPS of $2.46 and revenue of $15.03 billion, beating analyst estimates and increasing revenue 4.4% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed: six analysts rate the stock Buy, nine Hold, and three Sell, producing a consensus Hold rating; Deutsche Bank recently downgraded the shares to Sell amid concerns about future drug sales and patent pressures.

China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. trimmed its position in Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS - Free Report) by 66.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 16,384 shares of the company's stock after selling 32,616 shares during the quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd.'s holdings in Novartis were worth $2,387,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Lynx Investment Advisory lifted its stake in shares of Novartis by 41.0% in the 3rd quarter. Lynx Investment Advisory now owns 2,409 shares of the company's stock valued at $343,000 after purchasing an additional 700 shares during the period. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Novartis during the third quarter valued at $125,000. Busey Bank increased its holdings in Novartis by 2.8% in the third quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,521 shares of the company's stock valued at $359,000 after buying an additional 69 shares in the last quarter. Balance Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in Novartis in the third quarter valued at $53,000. Finally, Foresight Capital Management Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Novartis in the third quarter worth about $98,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 13.12% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently commented on NVS. Bank of America restated a "buy" rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Tuesday, September 8th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Novartis in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Novartis from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a "sector perform" rating on shares of Novartis in a report on Wednesday. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $152.25.

Novartis Stock Performance

NYSE NVS opened at $160.67 on Friday. Novartis AG has a fifty-two week low of $122.57 and a fifty-two week high of $170.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.88. The stock's fifty day moving average is $148.41 and its two-hundred day moving average is $151.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $306.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 0.41.

Novartis (NYSE:NVS - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 27th. The company reported $2.46 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.25 by $0.21. Novartis had a net margin of 18.11% and a return on equity of 41.04%. The firm had revenue of $15.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.53 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.25 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Novartis AG will post 9.02 earnings per share for the current year.

Trending Headlines about Novartis

Here are the key news stories impacting Novartis this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Novartis received a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), reflecting improved expectations for its earnings prospects. The upgrade could provide near-term support for the shares. Novartis Rating Upgrade to Buy
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks also identified NVS as a strong long-term momentum stock, highlighting favorable style and performance characteristics that may attract growth and momentum investors. Novartis Top Momentum Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Novartis’s third-quarter results exceeded consensus expectations, with earnings per share of $2.46 versus $2.25 expected and revenue of $15.03 billion versus $14.53 billion expected. Revenue increased 4.4% year over year, supporting the company’s fundamental outlook. Novartis Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: DZ Bank initiated coverage with a Hold rating, signaling a balanced view of Novartis’s earnings strength and valuation. DZ Bank Novartis Coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Deutsche Bank downgraded Novartis from Hold to Sell, adding direct analyst pressure to the stock and countering the more favorable Zacks assessment. Deutsche Bank Downgrades Novartis
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts reduced peak-sales forecasts for remibrutinib after a late-stage multiple-sclerosis trial met its primary endpoint but appeared weaker than expected. The development raises concerns about the drug’s ability to offset upcoming patent-related revenue pressure. Novartis Remibrutinib and Patent Cliff
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group Bank forecast weaker earnings for Novartis, adding to concerns that future results may not match the company’s recent quarterly beat. Erste Group Predicts Weaker Novartis Earnings

Novartis Company Profile

Novartis AG is a Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative medicines. The company's research and commercial activities span areas including cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, immunology, neuroscience, oncology and hematology. Its portfolio includes prescription medicines such as Entresto, Cosentyx, Kisqali, Kesimpta, Leqvio, Pluvicto and Scemblix.

Novartis serves patients and healthcare providers in markets around the world.

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