Zurich, February 8, 2026, 20:13 CET — Closing bell has sounded.
- Novartis shares (NOVN.S) ended the session 0.57% higher at CHF 119.96, having earlier reached CHF 120.64.
- The drugmaker has started construction on a biomedical research center in San Diego, with plans to have it up and running by 2029.
- Attention turns to the shareholder meeting set for March 6, with the ex-dividend date following on March 10.
Novartis (NOVN.S) closed out Friday’s session at 119.96 Swiss francs, up 0.57%, after hitting a 52-week high of 120.64 earlier in the day. Shares next trade in Zurich on Monday. 1
The uptick was slight, yet it underscores investor focus on Novartis’s deployment of capital going into what’s expected to be a more challenging phase for its mature drugs. Growth is the target—holding the dividend steady isn’t enough for the crowd watching the stock.
Novartis is bracing for a low single-digit drop in adjusted operating profit for 2026, the company said this week, as looming patent cliffs for Entresto and Xolair weigh on the near-term outlook. “Adjusted operating income really starts to grow in the second half of the year,” incoming CFO Mukul Mehta told Reuters. 2
On Friday, the company announced it has started construction on a 466,000-square-foot biomedical research facility in San Diego, aiming to have it up and running by 2029 with roughly 1,000 employees. Fiona Marshall, president of biomedical research, said the new center should “strengthen our scientific leadership.” The move is part of what Novartis is calling a $23 billion U.S. investment drive, incorporating AI-powered discovery tools. 3
Novartis reported on Feb. 4 that 2025 net sales climbed 8%, with its core operating margin—excluding one-off items—coming in at 40.1%. Chief executive Vas Narasimhan said the company expects to “grow through the largest patent expiry” landing in 2026. Novartis is proposing a CHF 3.70 per share dividend, while offering guidance for sales growth in the low single digits and a comparable low single-digit drop in core operating income. 4
According to the meeting notice, shareholders will get their say on the dividend at the March 6 annual general meeting in Basel. Novartis plans to pay out starting March 12 if it gets the green light. From March 10, shares go ex-dividend—so anyone buying after that date isn’t in line for the payment. The board has put forward another item: scrapping 77.6 million repurchased shares in a 2025 capital reduction. 5
Swiss pharma stocks hung in focus after Roche reported its multiple sclerosis candidate, fenebrutinib, hit the primary endpoint in a late-stage trial. Pipeline trial news, like this, still has the power to jolt sentiment across the sector. 6
But Novartis’ push into California won’t hit for years. Right now, the pressing issue is whether its latest drugs can move fast enough to offset what it’s called its toughest patent cliff. The company faces a real test from generics, tighter pricing, and possible holdups in major approvals.
Zurich trading picks up again Monday, and eyes are on whether Friday’s momentum carries over—and what analysts make of the 2026 guidance. The company’s AGM lands March 6, with the ex-dividend date falling just four days later, on March 10.
