Re: Wide Moat - La pasta está en el foso
El 209$ del que hablan ahí abajo es después de reducir el coste de la equity de 10 a 8, slds
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Novo Nordisk reported third-quarter results that put it on track to meet our estimates for the full year, but management's outlook for high-single-digit sales and operating profit growth in 2014 is likely weighing on the firm's share price. However, Novo's 2014 guidance is consistent with our expectations, and the firm's wide economic moat (a factor of its dominant position in the insulin market and its innovative pipeline) as well as reliable global insulin market volume growth (due to demographic trends in the U.S. and growing treatment rates outside the U.S.) remain key to our $209 fair value estimate.
Sales grew 10% in local currencies in the third quarter, or 3% as reported to DKK 20.5 billion. Basal insulin pricing power in the U.S. and stronger biopharmaceuticals growth (a more profitable segment) led to a 40-basis-point improvement in Novo Nordisk's gross margin to 82.8%. Local currency growth in operating expenses was largely in line with top-line growth, with operating profit in local currencies up 12% (2% as reported).
Looking forward to 2014, we expect management's outlook is disappointing investors. While we expect Tresiba's launch to be gradual--Novo's strong position on premium pricing will likely slow the rollout in Europe, and the U.S. launch is not likely before 2017--we still think the firm is well-positioned in the basal insulin market in the long run. Management did detail some of the reasons for 2014 sales growth falling below the 11%-13% growth levels for 2013. Prandin generics in the U.S. should shave 100 basis points from top-line growth in 2014, and while significant uncertainty still surrounds the impact of the Express Scripts national formulary, management indicated that this could also have a 100-basis-point impact. Positive developments in 2013--such as volatility in NovoSeven sales and significant share gains for Norditropin--also weigh on the 2014 outlook. However, these developments are already factored in our valuation.