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NVO vs. WAT: Novo Nordisk vs. Waters Stock Comparison

How do Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but NVO is classified in Pharmaceuticals while WAT is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.

Waters (WAT) trades as ordinary local shares, while Novo Nordisk (NVO) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT)
Profile ItemNVOWAT
NameNovo Nordisk A/S Sponsored ADRWaters Corporation
Country/RegionDenmarkUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryPharmaceuticalsLife Sciences Tools & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryPharmaceuticalsLife Sciences Tools & Services
Market Capitalization177.74 billion USD44.93 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateApril 30, 1981November 17, 1995
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NVO
WAT
GSPC
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT)
MetricNVOWAT
Total Return (1Y)-5.29%27.70%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-23.41%23.32%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-4.13%6.27%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NVO
WAT
GSPC
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Novo Nordisk (NVO) is heavily traded at around 12.11M shares per day, whereas Waters (WAT) sees a more moderate 816.72K — larger orders in the latter may require more patience and tighter control over order sizing.

Risk profile metrics for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT)
MetricNVOWAT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)45.98%35.45%
Beta (5Y)0.671.13
Max Drawdown (5Y)-74.70%-36.47%
Avg. Volume (3M)12.11M816.72K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NVO and WAT are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT)
MetricNVOWAT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.210.66
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.280.98

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 58.38% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Waters (WAT) at 1.12% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for NVO.

NVO

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

58.38%

Max
109.18%
NVO
58.38%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.12%

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
WAT
1.12%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 33.92% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Waters (WAT) at 1.76% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

NVO

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

33.92%

NVO
33.92%
Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.76%

Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
WAT
1.76%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 40.05% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Waters (WAT) at 11.38%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

NVO

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

40.05%

Max
83.12%
NVO
40.05%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

11.38%

Max
83.12%
Q3
14.77%
WAT
11.38%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT)
MetricNVOWAT
ROE (TTM)58.38%1.12%
ROA (TTM)19.05%2.36%
Net Margin (TTM)33.92%1.76%
Operating Margin (TTM)40.05%11.38%
Gross Margin (TTM)83.33%49.83%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 6.43% and Waters (WAT) at 6.99% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 1.77% and Waters (WAT) at 0.47% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT)
MetricNVOWAT
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.43%6.99%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)20.43%2.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)1.77%0.47%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)23.52%-2.84%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: Novo Nordisk (NVO) shows current ratio of 0.85 against its industry benchmark, while Waters (WAT) has no reading this period.

NVO

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.85

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
NVO
0.85
Min
0.10

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
Min
0.10
WAT
--
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): WAT does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; NVO is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.62 and Waters (WAT) at 0.34 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

NVO

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.62

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
NVO
0.62
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.34

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
WAT
0.34
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT)
MetricNVOWAT
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.85--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.620.34
Net Debt / EBITDA0.493.23

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Waters (WAT) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports a yield of 29.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.

NVO

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

29.03%

NVO
29.03%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

WAT
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Waters (WAT) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports a payout of 45.36%, ranking against industry peers normally.

NVO

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

45.36%

NVO
45.36%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

WAT
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT)
MetricNVOWAT
Dividend Yield (TTM)29.03%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)45.36%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 10.18 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Waters (WAT) at 191.46 trades above its peer range — a wide earnings-valuation gap relative to industry peers.

NVO

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

10.18

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
NVO
10.18
Min
0.07

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

191.46

WAT
191.46
Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.53 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Waters (WAT) at 8.01 prices around its industry’s middle — NVO costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

NVO

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.53

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
NVO
0.53
Min
0.01

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

8.01

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
WAT
8.01
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 5.43 and Waters (WAT) at 2.94 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

NVO

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.43

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
NVO
5.43
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.94

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
WAT
2.94
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
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Novo Nordisk (NVO) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Waters (WAT)
MetricNVOWAT
P/E Ratio (TTM)10.18191.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.538.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.432.94
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)18.43%--