Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Scilex Holding Company (SCLX) vs Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | SCLX | 21.1% revenue growth vs NVO's 2.3% |
| Value | NVO | Lower P/E (1.8x vs 2.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | NVO | 33.1% net margin vs SCLX's -9.3% |
| Stability / Safety | SCLX | Beta 0.96 vs NVO's 1.08 |
| Dividends | NVO | 4.7% yield; 8-year raise streak; SCLX pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | SCLX | -0.6% vs NVO's -57.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NVO | 18.1% ROA vs SCLX's -136.2% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Scilex Holding is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing non-opioid pain management products. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its commercial product ZTlido — a prescription lidocaine topical patch for neuropathic pain — while advancing a pipeline of novel pain therapies through clinical trials. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized focus on non-opioid alternatives for acute and chronic pain, addressing a critical need in pain management with reduced addiction risks.
Novo Nordisk is a global pharmaceutical company specializing in diabetes and obesity treatments. It generates revenue primarily from diabetes care products—mainly insulin and GLP-1 drugs—which account for over 80% of sales, with its obesity segment growing rapidly. The company's moat comes from its deep expertise in peptide-based therapies, extensive clinical data, and strong brand recognition in diabetes care.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
NVO leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). SCLX leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NVO is the larger business by revenue, generating $297.2B annually — 7363.6x SCLX's $40M. NVO is the more profitable business, keeping 33.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SCLX's -9.3%. On growth, NVO holds the edge at -21.5% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | NVONovo Nordisk A/S |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $40M | $297.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$259M | $144.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$376M | $98.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $24M | $56.2B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +68.6% | +81.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -6.5% | +41.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -9.3% | +33.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +59.0% | +18.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -26.8% | -21.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -17.3% | -4.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | NVONovo Nordisk A/S |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.5B | $126.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.5B | $142.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -0.42x | 10.30x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 2.64x | 1.76x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.50x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 6.27x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 26.58x | 2.69x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 5.44x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 77.75x | 14.11x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SCLX scores 6/9 vs NVO's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | NVONovo Nordisk A/S |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | +50.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -136.2% | +18.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +34.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +42.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $35M | $104.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3M | $26.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $38M | $131.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -39.55x | 20.26x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NVO five years ago would be worth $11,607 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $238 for SCLX. Over the past 12 months, SCLX leads with a -0.6% total return vs NVO's -57.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NVO at -16.7% vs SCLX's -70.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | NVONovo Nordisk A/S |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -37.3% | -28.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -0.6% | -57.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -97.3% | -42.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -97.6% | +16.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -97.6% | +76.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -70.0% | -16.7% |
Risk & Volatility
SCLX is the less volatile stock with a 0.96 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NVO's 1.08 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NVO currently trades 40.8% from its 52-week high vs SCLX's 24.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | NVONovo Nordisk A/S |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.96x | 1.08x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $34.27 | $91.90 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.60 | $37.31 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +24.0% | +40.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 35.9 | 23.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 61K | 20.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SCLX as "Buy" and NVO as "Buy". NVO is the only dividend payer here at 4.72% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | NVONovo Nordisk A/S |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $47.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 2 | 39 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +4.7% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 8 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $11.19 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.2% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | 100 | 2.65 | -97.3% |
| Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) | 100 | 174.19 | +74.2% |
Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) returned +16% over 5 years vs Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX)'s -98%. A $10,000 investment in NVO 5 years ago would be worth $11,607 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | $24M | $57M | +140.2% |
| Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) | $111.8B | $297.2B | +165.9% |
Novo Nordisk A/S's revenue grew from $111.8B (2016) to $297.2B (2025) — a 11.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | -2.0% | -128.7% | -6278.8% |
| Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) | 33.9% | 33.1% | -2.3% |
Novo Nordisk A/S's net margin went from 34% (2016) to 33% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) | 3.5 | 2.2 | -37.1% |
Novo Nordisk A/S has traded in a 2x–6x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~10x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | -0.01 | -19.43 | -154106.3% |
| Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) | 7.48 | 23.03 | +207.9% |
Novo Nordisk A/S's EPS grew from $7.48 (2016) to $23.03 (2025) — a 13% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Scilex Holding Company generated $19M FCF in 2024 (+168% vs 2021). Novo Nordisk A/S generated $57B FCF in 2025 (+19% vs 2021).
SCLX vs NVO: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SCLX or NVO a better buy right now?
Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) offers the better valuation at 10.3x trailing P/E (1.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Scilex Holding Company (SCLX) a "Buy" — based on 2 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — SCLX or NVO?
On forward P/E, Novo Nordisk A/S is actually cheaper at 1.8x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SCLX or NVO?
Over the past 5 years, Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) delivered a total return of +16.1%, compared to -97.6% for Scilex Holding Company (SCLX). A $10,000 investment in NVO five years ago would be worth approximately $12K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NVO returned +76.8% versus SCLX's -97.6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — SCLX or NVO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Scilex Holding Company (SCLX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.96β versus Novo Nordisk A/S's 1.08β — meaning NVO is approximately 12% more volatile than SCLX relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — SCLX or NVO?
Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) is the more profitable company, earning 33.1% net margin versus -128.7% for Scilex Holding Company — meaning it keeps 33.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NVO leads at 41.4% versus -147.4% for SCLX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NVO leads at 81.0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is SCLX or NVO more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) trades at 1.8x forward P/E versus 2.6x for Scilex Holding Company — 0.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — SCLX or NVO?
In this comparison, NVO (4.7% yield) pays a dividend. SCLX does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is SCLX or NVO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.08), 4.7% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NVO: +76.8%, SCLX: -97.6%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between SCLX and NVO?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: SCLX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; NVO is a mid-cap deep-value stock. NVO pays a dividend while SCLX does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.