Core Insights - Elevance Health, Inc. faced a legal setback as a federal judge dismissed its challenge against the Medicare Advantage star ratings set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) [1][4] - The dismissal means Elevance will forgo an estimated $375 million in bonus payments for 2025 due to a rating that was rounded down from 3.749565 stars to 3.5 stars, just below the four-star threshold [2][8] - The outcome emphasizes the regulatory risks in the Medicare Advantage sector, potentially influencing operational strategies for Elevance and its peers [4] Financial Implications - Elevance's rating downgrade will result in a significant loss of bonus payments, estimated at $375 million for 2025 [2][8] - The company's shares have declined by 16.1% year-to-date, contrasting with the industry's growth of 0.2% [7] Industry Context - CMS issues annual star ratings that are critical for determining federal bonus payments and consumer enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans [3][8] - Other insurers, such as Centene Corporation and Humana Inc., have also faced challenges related to rating methodology changes, with varying outcomes [5][6] Valuation Metrics - Elevance currently trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 9.72, significantly lower than the industry average of 15.25 [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Elevance's 2025 earnings is $30.15 per share, reflecting an 8.8% decline from the previous year [11]

UnitedHealth and Elevance told Colorado regulators they will exit some individual health plans in the state, the latest sign of instability in the ACA marketplaces https://t.co/dxKfuMxZY6 ...

Core Viewpoint - The iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF (IHF) offers broad exposure to the healthcare providers segment, appealing to both institutional and retail investors due to its low cost and transparency [1][2]. Group 1: ETF Overview - The iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF was launched on May 1, 2006, and is passively managed [1]. - The fund is sponsored by Blackrock and has accumulated over $742.15 million in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its segment [3]. - IHF aims to match the performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Select HealthCare Providers Index [3]. Group 2: Index and Holdings - The Dow Jones U.S. Select HealthCare Providers Index is a free-float adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that includes various healthcare providers such as hospitals and nursing homes [4]. - The ETF has a 100% allocation in the healthcare sector, with Unitedhealth Group Inc (UNH) making up approximately 23.08% of total assets [6][7]. - The top 10 holdings constitute about 72.35% of total assets under management [7]. Group 3: Costs and Performance - The annual operating expenses for the ETF are 0.4%, and it has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.96% [5]. - The ETF has experienced a loss of about 3.05% year-to-date and is down approximately 17.49% over the past year [8]. - IHF has a beta of 0.67 and a standard deviation of 18.36% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [8]. Group 4: Investment Considerations - The ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting it is a reasonable option for investors seeking exposure to healthcare ETFs [10].

Core Insights - Elevance Health, Inc. (ELV) is integrating Food as Medicine into its primary care model through a partnership with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) to enhance treatment plans with nutrition [1][9] - The initiative aims to address food and nutrition insecurities while improving chronic disease management and preventive health outcomes for approximately 34 million Americans served by Community Health Centers (CHCs) [3][9] - Elevance Health's individual medical membership increased by 5.2% year over year in Q2 2025, reaching 1.3 million, with expectations of a 0.7% rise in 2025 [4] Company Strategy - The collaboration will train primary care teams at CHCs to connect Medicaid patients with personalized nutrition support, including medically tailored meals and lifestyle interventions [2][9] - The goal is to establish a scalable Nutrition Center of Excellence that could serve as a national model for food-based clinical care [4][9] Competitor Analysis - Centene Corporation (CNC) reported a 6.2% year-over-year growth in high-acuity Medicaid membership, totaling around 28 million members as of June 30, 2025, with total revenues increasing by 22.4% [5] - Cigna Group (CI) experienced a 3.2% year-over-year growth in international health customers, with total medical customers around 18 million and total revenues rising by 11% [6] Financial Performance - Elevance Health's stock has declined by 16.1% year-to-date, contrasting with a 1% decline in the industry [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 9.62, significantly lower than the industry average of 15.08, and currently holds a Value Score of A [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Elevance Health's 2025 earnings is $30.59 per share, indicating a 7.4% decline from the previous year [11]

Core Insights - Elevance Health, Inc. is facing challenges from rising medical costs, slower Medicaid recovery, and increased utilization, leading to a reduced outlook for 2025 [1][5] - The company reported a significant increase in benefits expenses and cost of products sold in the first half of the year [1] Financial Performance - Benefits expense surged nearly 18% to over $72 billion, while cost of products sold increased almost 19% to $10.3 billion [1] - The second-quarter benefit expense ratio reached 88.9%, up 260 basis points year over year, with a projected full-year ratio of about 90% compared to 88.5% in 2024 [2][9] Membership and Growth - Commercial individual memberships rose 9.7% in the first half of 2025, following a 25.6% increase in 2024, indicating strong growth in the commercial segment [3][9] - Carelon's revenue is expected to grow nearly 30% in 2025, driven by a 60% surge in Carelon Services [4][9] Competitive Landscape - Other companies in the health benefits space, such as UnitedHealth Group and Centene Corporation, are also experiencing pressure from rising medical costs [6] - UnitedHealth's medical care ratio deteriorated to 89.4%, while Centene's health benefits ratio reached 93%, indicating industry-wide challenges [7] Valuation and Estimates - Elevance's shares have declined 20.7% year-to-date, compared to a 3.9% decline in the industry [8] - The forward price-to-earnings ratio for Elevance is 9.19, significantly lower than the industry average of 14.57, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings at $30.59 per share, reflecting a 7.4% decline from the previous year [10][11]

Core Insights - Elevance Health, Inc. (ELV) has experienced a significant decline of 20.3% year to date, underperforming compared to industry peers and the S&P 500 Index [1][7] - The stock closed at $293.99, near the lower end of its 52-week range of $273.71–$567.26, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for value investors [1] - Elevance has a market capitalization of $66.2 billion, with peers like UnitedHealth Group and Centene also facing challenges this year [1] Membership and Revenue Challenges - Medicaid membership has decreased by 15.1% in 2024 and an additional 4.1% in the first half of 2025, impacting revenue [4] - Membership in Medicare Supplement and employer group risk-based segments is also declining, with expectations of continued volatility into 2026 due to recent policy changes [4][6] Rising Costs and Margin Pressure - Medical costs are increasing due to higher utilization, leading to a deterioration in the benefit expense ratio, which worsened by 260 basis points year over year to 88.9% in Q2 [5] - The full-year benefit expense ratio is projected to be around 90%, with expectations of further increases in the second half of the year [5] Analyst Sentiment and Earnings Outlook - Management has revised its full-year 2025 adjusted EPS outlook down to approximately $30, from a previous range of $34.15-$34.85, reflecting a decline from the 2024 figure of $33.04 [6] - Analysts have sharply cut 2025 and 2026 EPS estimates, with the current consensus estimate for 2025 EPS at $30.59, indicating a 7.4% decline from the prior year [9] Valuation Metrics - Elevance Health trades at a forward 12-month P/E of 9.24X, significantly below its five-year median of 13.44X and the industry average of 14.32X, indicating investor caution [10] - Despite a steeper sell-off, peers UnitedHealth and Centene command higher multiples of 14.05X and 9.94X, respectively [10] Long-Term Growth Potential - Elevance has solid long-term growth drivers, including product expansion, revenue diversification, and premium increases, which may help mitigate current pressures [11] - The company is reallocating resources to more profitable areas and has a return on invested capital of 9.36%, outperforming the industry average of 5.80% [12] Shareholder Value Initiatives - Elevance maintains consistent dividend payouts with a yield of 2.33%, higher than the industry average of 1.37% [13] - The company repurchased shares worth $379 million in Q2 2025, with approximately $8 billion remaining under its buyback authorization as of June 30, 2025 [13]

Core Viewpoint - UBS maintains a "Buy" rating on Elevance Health with a target price of $435, indicating a potential upside of nearly 53% from the current closing price of $283.48 [1] Financial Performance - Elevance Health reported Q2 revenue of $49.8 billion, exceeding market expectations [1] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter were $8.84, in line with market expectations [1] Earnings Guidance - The company lowered its full-year EPS guidance by $4.50, which translates to a pre-tax profit reduction of $1.3 billion [1] - Elevance Health raised its 2025 medical loss ratio forecast by 90 basis points [1] Market Factors - The increase in medical loss ratio expectations is attributed to unfavorable cost trends in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges and Medicaid business [1] - Despite the challenges, UBS remains optimistic about the potential profitability and growth in the commercial insurance and Carelon business segments [1]

Core Viewpoint - UBS reiterated a "Buy" rating for Elevance Health (ELV.US) with a target price of $435, indicating a potential upside of nearly 53% from the recent closing price of $283.48 [1] Financial Performance - Elevance Health reported Q2 revenue of $49.8 billion, exceeding market expectations [1] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q2 were $8.84, in line with market expectations [1] - The company lowered its full-year EPS forecast by $4.50, equating to a pre-tax profit reduction of $1.3 billion [1] Future Projections - Elevance Health raised its 2025 medical loss ratio forecast by 90 basis points [1] - The increase in medical loss ratio expectations is attributed to unfavorable cost trends in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) transactions and Medicaid business [1] Investment Rationale - UBS maintains a "Buy" rating due to the potential profitability stability and growth opportunities in the commercial insurance and Carelon business segments, despite the raised medical loss ratio expectations [1]

Stock Recommendations - Zacks 评级第一，强烈推荐买入的股票 [1] - Zacks 评级第五，强烈推荐卖出的股票 [1] Investment Opportunities - Zacks 提供未来 30 天内有望跑赢市场的七只股票 [1] Resources - 访问 zachs.com/bull 获取更多信息 [1]

Group 1 - Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE: ELV) is rated as a Buy despite the severe impact on the healthcare plan providers industry, indicating a contrarian investment stance [1] - The industry has experienced deterioration in market prices, public opinion, and financial results, particularly affecting Elevance [1] - The investment approaches mentioned include GARP (Growth at a Reasonable Price), Value, and Growth, with a focus on insider buying and buybacks, as well as technical analysis tools like Elliott Wave and EMA crossovers [1]