ZACKSยท2025-07-08 14:01Core Insights - Molina Healthcare, Inc. has reduced its full-year 2025 earnings guidance by 10.2% at mid-point due to rising medical costs and unpredictable utilization trends, following Centene Corporation's withdrawal of its financial outlook [1][3][10] Group 1: Earnings Guidance and Financial Outlook - For Q2 2025, Molina expects adjusted earnings of approximately $5.50 per share, which is below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.12 per share and represents a 6.1% decline year-over-year [4] - The full-year adjusted earnings per share is now projected to be between $21.50 and $22.50, a significant drop from the previous forecast of at least $24.50 and below last year's figure of $22.65 [4][10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Molina's 2025 revenue stands at $44.1 billion, indicating an 8.4% increase from the prior year, suggesting robust demand despite cost pressures [5] Group 2: Industry Context and Comparisons - Molina is part of a trend among health insurers facing unexpected cost pressures, with UnitedHealth Group and Centene also having withdrawn their earnings guidance [3][10] - Molina's shares have declined by 31.6% over the past three months, while the industry has dropped 38.9%, with UnitedHealth and Centene experiencing even steeper losses of 47.5% and 47.3%, respectively [9][10] Group 3: Long-term Outlook and Valuation - Despite the current challenges, Molina's long-term strategic outlook remains unchanged, with the CEO expressing confidence in the company's fundamentals [8] - Molina trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 8.85, which is lower than the industry average of 11.66, and currently holds a Value Score of A [13]