Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) Stock Rated “Hold” by Wall Street Analysts

Shares of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the twenty brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $145.60.

A number of research firms have weighed in on NVS. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Novartis in a report on Sunday, August 9th. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on shares of Novartis in a report on Tuesday, September 8th. They issued a “sector perform” rating for the company. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $156.00 target price on shares of Novartis in a research report on Tuesday, October 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “sell” rating on shares of Novartis in a research note on Monday, September 21st.

Novartis Trading Down 1.0%

NVS opened at $142.43 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.86. Novartis has a one year low of $121.57 and a one year high of $170.46. The company has a market cap of $271.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.48, a PEG ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.41. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $148.69 and its 200-day simple moving average is $150.47.

Novartis (NYSE:NVS) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, June 30th. The company reported $2.41 earnings per share for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $14.95 billion during the quarter. Novartis had a return on equity of 38.56% and a net margin of 23.29%. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Novartis will post 8.91 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Novartis

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Archer Investment Corp increased its stake in shares of Novartis by 93.0% during the 1st quarter. Archer Investment Corp now owns 166 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. Highland Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Novartis in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in Novartis by 552.0% in the 2nd quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 163 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 138 shares in the last quarter. Atlatl Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in Novartis in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Finally, Silicon Valley Capital Partners grew its holdings in Novartis by 519.4% during the 2nd quarter. Silicon Valley Capital Partners now owns 192 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 13.12% of the company’s stock.

About Novartis

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 center on cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, immunology, neuroscience, oncology and hematology. Its portfolio includes prescription medicines such as Entresto, Cosentyx, Kesimpta, Kisqali, Pluvicto, Leqvio and Jakavi, as well as other therapies for serious and chronic conditions.

Novartis serves patients and healthcare providers in markets worldwide, with operations spanning North America, Europe, Asia and other international regions.