Investors might want to bet on Centene (CNC) , as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This rating change essentially reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.The Zacks rating relies solely on a company's changing earnings picture. It tracks EPS estimates for the current and following years from the sell-side analysts covering the stock through a consensus measure -- the Zacks Consensus Estimate.The power of a changing ...

Core Insights - The article discusses various studies published in the Journal of Health Economics, focusing on the impact of broadband internet on youth mental health, the factors influencing long-term care insurance uptake, the effects of Earned Income Tax Credits on intergenerational health mobility, and the implications of payroll subsidies in nursing homes [4][6]. Group 1: Broadband Internet and Youth Mental Health - Broadband internet access has increased the prevalence of mental disorders among younger cohorts (born between 1985 and 1995) by 0.08 standard deviation units, with no significant impact on older individuals (born between 1974 and 1984) [8][9]. - The negative effects are particularly pronounced for those exposed to the internet before the age of 20, affecting various mental health issues including depression, anxiety, drug abuse, and personality disorders [8][9]. Group 2: Long-Term Care Insurance - The study explores the role of correlation preference and the relative preference for quality of life over wealth in influencing the decision to purchase long-term care insurance [11][12]. - The findings suggest that these preferences contribute to the low uptake of long-term care insurance, with correlation seeking behavior being a significant factor [11][12]. Group 3: Earned Income Tax Credits and Health Mobility - The research presents empirical evidence that the Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) improve intergenerational health mobility, particularly upward mobility [13]. - The study utilizes self-reported health status data to analyze the effects of childhood exposure to EITC benefits across different temporal, geographic, and family structures [13]. Group 4: Nursing Home Payroll Subsidies - Payroll subsidies have been shown to increase staffing levels in nursing homes by approximately 7.4% of pre-subsidy average staffing, but they also decrease the Medicaid share of new admissions by about 11.5% [14][15]. - The study indicates that while these subsidies effectively enhance staffing, they may lead to a shift in the demographic characteristics of nursing home residents, potentially affecting access to care for Medicaid enrollees [14][15]. Group 5: Housing Wealth and Medical Spending - The analysis reveals that housing wealth does not have a significant impact on out-of-pocket medical expenditures among older homeowners, with estimates indicating negligible effects across various expenditure categories [17][18]. - This suggests that many homeowners either do not need to access their housing wealth for medical expenses or are unwilling or unable to do so [17][18]. Group 6: Nonlinear Reimbursement Rules - The study examines nonlinear reimbursement rules for preventive and curative medical care, highlighting that optimal insurance designs should increase benefits with both types of care to align incentives and reduce informational rents [19][22]. - The findings emphasize the importance of understanding the dynamics of preventive care choices and their implications for reimbursement structures [19][22]. Group 7: Longevity, Education, and Income - The research investigates the relationship between longevity, education, and income, concluding that the potential economic benefits of increased education due to longer life expectancy are minimal, particularly in low-income countries [23]. - The study suggests that even with significant educational responses to longevity, the overall impact on lifetime income remains less than 1% for typical low-income countries [23].

Core Insights - Bretton Fund achieved an 8.21% return in Q3 2025, outperforming the S&P 500 Index which returned 8.12% [1] - UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is highlighted as a significant holding, with a one-month return of -4.29% and a 52-week loss of 39.26% [2][4] - The stock closed at $344.75 on October 30, 2025, with a market capitalization of $312.288 billion [2] Company Performance - UnitedHealth Group reported revenues exceeding $113 billion in Q3 2025, reflecting a 12% year-over-year growth driven by the expansion of domestic memberships [4] - The company experienced a significant stock decline, falling over 60% from its November 2024 high before a slight rebound, contributing 0.9% to the Bretton Fund [3] Investor Sentiment - The appointment of a new CEO and Berkshire Hathaway's initiation of a position in UnitedHealth Group have positively influenced investor sentiment [3] - UnitedHealth Group is ranked 18th among the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds, with 159 hedge fund portfolios holding the stock at the end of Q2 2025, up from 139 in the previous quarter [4]

Core Insights - Five stocks have been added to the Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) List, indicating strong potential for investment returns Group 1: Company Summaries - **PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust (PMT)**: This real estate investment trust focuses on residential mortgage loans and related assets, with a 10.3% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings over the last 60 days [1] - **NatWest Group (NWG)**: A banking and financial services company offering a range of services including personal and business banking, with a 7.5% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings over the last 60 days [2] - **Phibro Animal Health (PAHC)**: A global diversified animal health and mineral nutrition company providing products for food animals, with a 4.4% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings over the last 60 days [3] - **Centene (CNC)**: A well-diversified healthcare company serving government-sponsored healthcare programs, with a 2.4% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings over the last 60 days [4] - **ACNB (ACNB)**: A provider of banking and financial services to individuals and businesses, also seeing a 2.4% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings over the last 60 days [4]

Group 1 - Cardinal Health's stock increased by over 15% following a strong quarterly earnings release, outperforming the S&P 500 which closed 1% lower [1] - For fiscal Q1 2026, Cardinal Health reported a 22% year-over-year revenue increase to $64 billion, with non-GAAP net income rising 37% to $857 million, or $2.55 per share [2][3] - The company's revenue and earnings significantly exceeded analyst expectations, with revenue projections around $59 million and non-GAAP net income estimates at $2.19 per share [3] Group 2 - Cardinal Health raised its full-year fiscal 2026 guidance for adjusted earnings per share to a range of $9.65 to $9.85, reflecting at least 17% year-over-year growth, up from a previous forecast of $9.30 to $9.50 [4] - The company also increased its estimated adjusted free cash flow to $3 billion to $3.5 billion, compared to the prior guidance of $2.75 billion to $3.25 billion [4]

Financial Performance Outlook - The company projects full year 2025 revenue between $2.76 billion and $2.82 billion[6] - Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be in the range of $376 million to $382 million[6] - The company anticipates adjusted net income between $81 million and $85 million[6] - Adjusted EPS is projected to be between $1.02 and $1.07[6] Key Financial Metrics - Interest expense is estimated to be between $104 million and $107 million[6] - Gross capital expenditures are expected to be between $205 million and $215 million[6] - Net capital expenditures are projected to be between $135 million and $145 million[6] - The adjusted effective tax rate is expected to be between 29.5% and 30.5%[6] Important Considerations - The company's outlook includes forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially[2] - The presentation includes non-GAAP financial measures used by management to evaluate performance, but these should not be considered substitutes for GAAP measures[3, 5]

Cigna Group logged higher profit and revenue in the third quarter, boosted by continued strength in its pharmacy-benefit business Evernorth https://t.co/HBKrG23pOQ ...

Core Viewpoint - Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) shares are experiencing a decline, with a 2.4% drop to $45.53, as investors await the third quarter results on November 3. The stock has seen a pullback from a February high of $72.98, approaching a historically bullish trendline, indicating a potential short-term bounce [1]. Group 1: Stock Performance and Trends - The stock is currently within 0.75 of the 200-day moving average's 20-day average true range (ATR), having spent over 80% of the last 10 days above this trendline. Historically, similar conditions have led to a 18.2% average gain one month later, suggesting a potential rise to approximately $51.45 [2]. - Hims & Hers has a mixed history of post-earnings stock movements, with the stock finishing lower after four of the last eight earnings reports, including a 12.4% drop in August. The average next-day swing has been 13.3%, while this time investors are anticipating a higher move of 17.1% [3]. Group 2: Analyst Sentiment and Volatility - Analyst sentiment is predominantly negative, with 11 out of 14 analysts rating the stock as "hold" or worse, indicating potential for upgrades if bearish sentiment shifts [4]. - Hims & Hers tends to outperform options traders' volatility expectations, reflected in a Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) of 80 out of 100, which is favorable for prospective buyers [4].

Core Insights - Cardinal Health Inc. reported strong first-quarter 2026 earnings with adjusted earnings of $2.55 per share, exceeding the consensus estimate of $2.18 [1] - Sales increased by 22% year over year to $64.01 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $59.19 billion [1] - Adjusted operating earnings rose by 37% to $857 million [1] Segment Performance - Revenue for the Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions segment grew by 23% to $59.2 billion, driven by brand and specialty pharmaceutical sales [2] - The Global Medical Products and Distribution segment saw a 2% increase in revenue to $3.2 billion, attributed to volume growth from existing customers [2] Strategic Initiatives - Cardinal Health initiated a $375 million accelerated share repurchase program in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 [2] - The company raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings per share outlook from $9.30-$9.50 to $9.65-$9.85, above the consensus of $9.43 [4] - The increase in earnings guidance reflects strong first-quarter performance and expected contributions from the Solaris Health acquisition [4] Financial Expectations - The company expects profit growth in the Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions segment to be between 16%-19%, up from the prior guidance of 11%-13% [4] - Adjusted free cash flow expectations were raised to $3.0 billion to $3.5 billion, from a previous range of $2.75 billion to $3.25 billion [5] Market Reaction - Following the earnings report, Cardinal Health's stock surged by 16.55%, trading at $191.68 [5]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a total revenue increase of 22% to $64 billion, driven by strong demand in pharmaceuticals and growth across all five operating segments [10][11] - Operating earnings grew by 37% and EPS increased by 36%, with Q1 EPS reported at $2.55 [9][11] - Gross profit rose by 22% to $2.3 billion, while SG&A expenses increased by 14% to $1.5 billion [10][11] - The effective tax rate for Q1 was 21.9%, about 100 basis points better than the previous year [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions segment revenue increased by 23% to $59 billion, with segment profit rising by 26% to $667 million [12] - The GMPD segment saw a revenue increase of 2% to $3.2 billion, with profit rising to $46 million [13][14] - Other businesses reported a revenue increase of 38% to $1.6 billion and a profit increase of 60% to $166 million [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced strong pharmaceutical demand across brand, specialty, generics, and consumer health, with approximately 6 percentage points of revenue growth attributed to GLP-1 sales [12] - The GMPD segment faced slight headwinds from tariffs, with expectations of increased tariff costs in the second quarter [14][20] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its Specialty Alliance and integrating the Solaris Health acquisition to enhance its multi-specialty platform [6][24] - Investments are being made in modernizing the pharmaceutical distribution network and expanding capabilities in Biopharma Solutions and MSO platforms [23][28] - The company aims to leverage its unique breadth of capabilities to create value for providers, manufacturers, and patients [8][30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the strong demand environment and the company's ability to execute its strategic priorities [5][8] - The company raised its full-year EPS guidance to a range of $9.65-$9.85, reflecting anticipated growth driven by acquisitions and strong performance [10][17] - Management highlighted the importance of ongoing investments in technology and infrastructure to support future growth [23][28] Other Important Information - The company generated $1.3 billion in adjusted free cash flow during Q1 and returned $500 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [16] - The company is increasing its adjusted free cash flow guidance to a range of $3 billion-$3.5 billion for the full year [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Broader momentum and M&A contribution - Management noted strong demand trends and highlighted that the Specialty business was a strong performer, contributing about 8% to Q1 growth, with Solaris expected to add 3% to that [33][39] Question: Policy changes and opportunities - Management indicated that while the impact of policy changes is hard to define, they align with the administration's intent to improve access to affordable healthcare, which could drive utilization positively [44][47] Question: Growth outlook for Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions - Management emphasized that they are focused on what they can control, expecting strong demand and continued growth in specialty and generics, with M&A contributing significantly to growth [51][56] Question: Competitive landscape changes - Management acknowledged that recent competitor divestitures could create opportunities, but emphasized their focus on service levels and performance to remain the supplier of choice [90][91] Question: MSO assets and drug spending trends - Management highlighted diverse revenue streams within MSOs, with strong growth in autoimmune, neurology, and oncology, and noted that drug spending is a significant but not exclusive part of MSO revenue [94][95]