Novo Nordisk ASWBO:NNO2 -1.23%71 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 25.35% as of Mar. 2026, which is 52% above its 10-year median of 16.71. GuruFocus rates WBO:NNO2 with a GF Score™ of 71/100 and a GF Value™ of €120.14 (Significantly Undervalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 635 Drug Manufacturers companies, Novo Nordisk AS ranks better than 92.91% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Novo Nordisk AS's forward rate of return for was 25.35%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Novo Nordisk AS's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
WBO:NNO2'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 8.35 Med: 16.71 Max: 25.21
Current: 23.82
During the past 13 years, Novo Nordisk AS's highest Forward Rate of Return was 25.21. The lowest was 8.35. And the median was 16.71.
WBO:NNO2's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked better than 92.91% of 635
companies
in the Drug Manufacturers industry
Industry Median: 6.44
vs WBO:NNO2: 23.82
Unlike the Earnings Yield %, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
Novo Nordisk AS (WBO:NNO2) Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Explanation
Unlike the Earnings Yield, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is to make it comparable to the growth rate.
Be Aware
In the Forward Rate of Return calculation, the growth rate is added directly to today's free cash flow yield. Therefore the calculation is reliable only if the company can grow at the same rate in the future as it did in the past. Investors should pay close attention to this when researching growth stocks. A more accurate measurement for return is Return on Capital.
Novo Nordisk AS Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Novo Nordisk AS Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Novo Nordisk AS's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Novo Nordisk AS Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
WBO:NNO2 vs LLY, JNJ, ABBV: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Drug Manufacturers - General subindustry, Novo Nordisk AS's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Novo Nordisk AS Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Drug Manufacturers Industry
For the Drug Manufacturers industry and Healthcare sector, Novo Nordisk AS's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Novo Nordisk AS's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Novo Nordisk AS Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Calculation
Forward Rate of Return is a concept that Don Yacktman uses in his investment approach. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. He said in the interview (March 2012, when the S&P 500 was at about 1400):
If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.
The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
What does a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 25.35% mean?
Novo Nordisk AS (WBO:NNO2) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 25.35% as of Mar. 2026. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Novo Nordisk AS and its competitors. This is 52% above median its historical median of 16.71. Over the past decade, Novo Nordisk AS's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 8.35 to 25.21. According to the industry distribution chart, Novo Nordisk AS ranks #45 out of 635 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry, placing it in the top 7.1%.
Is Novo Nordisk AS's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Novo Nordisk AS's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 25.35% is 52% above median its 10-year median of 16.71. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 8.35 to a high of 25.21. The Drug Manufacturers industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.44. Novo Nordisk AS's value of 25.35% is 293.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Novo Nordisk AS ranks #45 out of 635 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Novo Nordisk AS has a GF Score™ of 71/100 and is considered Significantly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Novo Nordisk AS's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to LLY and JNJ?
According to the Drug Manufacturers industry distribution chart, Novo Nordisk AS ranks #45 out of 635 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places Novo Nordisk AS in the top 7% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.44. Novo Nordisk AS's value of 25.35% is 293.6% above this benchmark. Historically, Novo Nordisk AS's own Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 8.35 to 25.21 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 16.71 vs. the industry median of 6.44, Novo Nordisk AS has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for a Drug Manufacturers company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Drug Manufacturers companies is 6.44, based on 635 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Novo Nordisk AS's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 25.35% is 293.6% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % mean?
A high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Novo Nordisk AS and its competitors. For the Drug Manufacturers industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.44 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Novo Nordisk AS's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 25.35%, which is 52% above median its own 10-year median of 16.71. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Novo Nordisk AS stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Novo Nordisk AS (WBO:NNO2) is currently considered Significantly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €120.14, compared to a current price of €43.06 — trading 64.2% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 25.35%, which is 52% above median its 10-year median of 16.71 and 293.6% above the Drug Manufacturers industry median of 6.44. Novo Nordisk AS's overall GF Score™ is 71/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % calculated?
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Novo Nordisk AS (WBO:NNO2), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 25.35% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Novo Nordisk AS (WBO:NNO2) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Novo Nordisk AS stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of €43.06 is trading 64.2% below its estimated GF Value™ of €120.14.
GuruFocus considers Novo Nordisk AS to be Significantly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for WBO:NNO2:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 25.35% (52% above median its 10-year median of 16.71)
GF Value™: €120.14 vs. price of €43.06 (64.2% below fair value)
Industry Position: 293.6% above the Drug Manufacturers median (#45 of 635)
No single metric tells the full story. See the WBO:NNO2 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
With roughly one-third of the global branded diabetes treatment market, Novo Nordisk is the leading provider of diabetes care products in the world. Based in Denmark, the company manufactures and markets a variety of human and modern insulins, injectable diabetes treatments such as GLP-1 therapy, oral antidiabetic agents, and obesity treatments. Novo also has a biopharmaceutical segment (contributing less than 10% of revenue) that specializes in protein therapies for hemophilia and other disorders.
71GF Score
Get the complete analysis for WBO:NNO2
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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