Novo Nordisk to cut staff bonuses in its home country amid growth concerns

[Novo Nordisk office in Fremont, California, USA]
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Novo Nordisk (NVO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NVO]) will be forced to lower employee bonuses in its home country, Denmark, as the company doubles down on a cost-cutting drive following a cut to its growth outlook this year, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing a company spokeswoman.

The reduction for 2025 yearly bonuses will apply to employees who are entitled to short-term incentives, the spokeswoman added.

The decision comes amid an ongoing cost-cutting initiative spearheaded by the new CEO, Maziar Mike Doustdar, who assumed leadership in August and pledged to revamp Denmark’s most valuable company.

In July, alongside Doustdar’s appointment, the weight loss drugmaker lowered its full-year growth outlook for sales and operating profit, citing, among other things, pressure on its obesity franchise led by its GLP-1 medication semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic and Wegovy. [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4473239-novo-nordisk-stock-drops-guidance-cut#hasComeFromMpArticle=false]

Earlier this week, Novo Nordisk (NVO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NVO]) started a global hiring freeze for non-critical business roles in an attempt to reduce expenses. [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4487350-novo-nordisks-new-ceo-is-said-to-start-hiring-freeze-to-cut-costs] The decision on bonuses was first reported [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-22/novo-to-cut-employee-bonuses-in-denmark-due-to-slower-growth] by the Danish newspaper Berlingske.

MORE ON NOVO NORDISK

* Novo Nordisk: This Options Strategy Was Profitable Even With The Stock Down [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4815954-novo-nordisk-this-options-strategy-was-profitable-even-with-the-stock-down]
* Navigating The Novo Nordisk Case With The Inversion Mental Model [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4815428-navigating-the-novo-nordisk-case-with-the-inversion-mental-model]
* Novo Nordisk: Cleared For A Climb [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4815193-novo-nordisk-cleared-for-climb]
* Pharma stocks higher as Trump backs down from 250% tariff threat [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4488110-pharma-stocks-up-trump-backs-down-from-250-tariff-threat]
* Novo Nordisk’s new CEO is said to start hiring freeze to cut costs [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4487350-novo-nordisks-new-ceo-is-said-to-start-hiring-freeze-to-cut-costs]