Needham Downgrades Hims & Hers Stock (HIMS) on Novo Nordisk Fiasco. Wall Street Sees Legal Risks

Business Insider

6 hours ago

On Monday, Hims & Hers (HIMS) stock plunged about 35% after Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk (NVO) ended its partnership with HIMS, accusing it of illegally selling copycats of its weight-loss drug Wegovy (semaglutide). In reaction, Needham analyst Ryan MacDonald downgraded Hims & Hers stock to Hold from Buy and removed the $65 price target. Needham also removed HIMS stock from its Conviction List. Other Wall Street analysts also weighed in on HIMS' fallout with Novo Nordisk, noting legal risks.
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Needham Downgrades HIMS Stock to Hold
MacDonald downgraded HIMS stock due to the termination of the key deal with Novo Nordisk and fears of a potential lawsuit. The 4-star analyst thinks that Hims & Hers will likely continue to offer personalized GLP-1s (drugs for weight loss and diabetes) under its interpretation of section 503A (outlines the conditions under which compounded drug products are exempt from certain FDA requirements). This, he believes, brings back the risk of litigation or regulatory action.
He added that HIMS is now at a competitive disadvantage, given that both Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk maintain partnerships with its rivals. MacDonald believes that HIMS stock could be range-bound over the near term, as the legality of HIMS' personalization practices is determined.
Other Analysts Weigh in on HIMS-NOVO Fallout
Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley analyst Craig Hettenbach reiterated a Hold rating on Hims & Hers stock with a price target of $40. Hettenbach estimates that 'personalized' compounded semaglutide doses comprise over 50% of HIMS' target of $725 million in weight loss revenue for 2025. The 4-star analyst thinks that the abrupt termination of the deal could renew concerns over litigation.
Further, Truist Securities analyst Jailendra Singh reiterated a Hold rating on HIMS stock with a price target of $45. Singh also believes that with the termination of the partnership, the litigation risk is 'back on the table.' He added that a potential litigation could drag on for 18-24 months and remain an overhang on HIMS stock. That said, Singh does not believe that branded Wegovy was driving any significant subscriber growth or revenue for HIMS, likely resulting in Novo's decision to end the collaboration. However, Singh thinks that HIMS was perhaps gaining from the 'credibility' or increased consumer traffic to its platforms due to ads for the branded Wegovy. Consequently, Singh expects the end of the deal to trigger a decline in traffic, adversely impacting HIMS' compounding business.
Finally, Bank of America analyst Allen Lutz reiterated a Sell rating on Hims & Hers stock with a price target of $28, saying that the end of the deal was a 'clear negative.' Lutz sees a high likelihood of Novo Nordisk pursuing litigation. The 4-star analyst noted that HIMS generated $230 million of compounded semaglutide revenue in Q1 2025 and is expected to deliver about $170 million in Q2. He estimates that Wegovy represented a low single-digit percentage of GLP-1s (~2%) orders in Q2, implying that the loss of the partnership won't result in any notable change to revenue. That said, Lutz noted a slowdown in HIMS' core business, which presents a significant risk to consensus estimates in the second half of 2025 and 2026.
Blame Game On
Novo Nordisk blamed Hims & Hers for 'deceptive promotion and selling of illegitimate, knockoff versions of Wegovy,' putting patient safety at risk.
Meanwhile, responding to the termination of the deal, Hims & Hers CEO Andrew Dudum stated that the company is 'disappointed to see Novo Nordisk management misleading the public.' Dudum accused Novo Nordisk's commercial team of increasing pressure on Hims & Hers to control clinical standards and move patients to Wegovy regardless of whether it was clinically best for patients. He added that HIMS refuses to be 'strong-armed' by any anticompetitive demand of any pharmaceutical company that impacts the independent decision-making of providers and limits patient choice.
Is HIMS a Good Stock to Buy?
Overall, Wall Street is sidelined on HIMS stock, with a Hold consensus rating based on one Buy, eight Holds, and two Sell recommendations. The average HIMS stock price target of $39.80 indicates about 5.2% upside potential.