The company's holding of its own shares at the end of 1999 was 4,514,059 B shares, corresponding to 5.98% of the total capital stock as of the end of 1999. A total of 1,000,500 B shares were repurchased in the period 3 January - 31 March 2000.
As of 3 November 1999, Novo Nordisk A/S' holding of its own shares was 3,991,059 B shares. The average price of the 1,523,500 B shares repurchased after 3 November 1999 is DKK 1,015.73 per share meaning that DKK 1.5 billion of the DKK 2 billion stock repurchasing programme is now completed. No treasury shares were sold in the first quarter of 2000.
Novo Nordisk A/S is the world leader in insulin and diabetes care and also manufactures and markets a variety of other pharmaceutical products. Furthermore the company is the world's largest producer of industrial enzymes. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 15,200 people in 68 countries and markets its products in 179 countries. Its B shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen and London. Its ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NVO". A demerger of Novo Nordisk with the intention to spin off the Enzyme Business into a separately listed company is expected to take place around the turn of the year 2000/2001. For further company information, visit Novo Nordisk on the World Wide Web at www.novo.dk.
For further information please contact:
Communications & Design
Media:
Elin K Hansen
Phone (direct) : (+45) 4442 3450
Elin K Hansen
Phone (direct) : (+45) 4442 3450
Media in North America:
Susan Toth Jackson
Phone: (+1) 212-867-0123
Susan Toth Jackson
Phone: (+1) 212-867-0123
Investors:
Michael Steen-Knudsen
Phone (Direct): (+45) 4442 6048
Michael Steen-Knudsen
Phone (Direct): (+45) 4442 6048
Investors:
Carsten Bøss
Phone: (direct) (+45) 4442 6047
Carsten Bøss
Phone: (direct) (+45) 4442 6047
Investors in North America:
Peter Lundby Hansen
Phone: (+1) 212-878-9607
Peter Lundby Hansen
Phone: (+1) 212-878-9607