Following a request for additional information ("Second Request†) from the FTC received on February 20, 2025 by the Company and Aya Healthcare in connection with the Merger Agreement, each of the Company and Aya Healthcare certified to the FTC on August 29, 2025 that they had substantially complied with the Second Request. As a result of discussions with the FTC, the HSR waiting period was initially set to expire on November 17, 2025. In addition, the Merger Agreement end date was extended from September ...

Core Insights - The average time to schedule a physician appointment in 15 major metropolitan areas has increased by 19% since 2022 and by 48% since 2004, now averaging 31 days [1][2][3] Appointment Wait Times - The survey indicates that average wait times for various specialties are as follows: - Obstetrics/Gynecology: 42 days, up 33% since 2022 and up 79% since 2004 [9] - Gastroenterology: 40 days (newly added in 2025) [9] - Dermatology: 36.5 days, up 6% since 2022 and up 50% since 2004 [9] - Cardiology: 33 days, up 23% from 2022 and up 74% since 2004 [9] - Family Medicine: 23.5 days, up 14% since 2022 and up 16% since 2009 [9] - Orthopedic Surgery: 12 days, down 29% since 2022 and down 29% since 2004 [9] Geographic Variations - Boston has the longest average wait time at 65 days, while Atlanta has the shortest at 12 days [4] - Wait times can vary significantly by specialty and metropolitan area, with some appointments taking as long as 291 days for dermatology in Portland, Oregon [6] Physician Acceptance Rates - 82% of physicians in the surveyed metropolitan areas accept Medicare, with Boston having the highest acceptance rate at 94% and Atlanta the lowest at 68% [7] - Only 53% of physicians accept Medicaid, with Detroit having the highest acceptance at 85% and New York the lowest at 28% [7][8] Implications - The increasing wait times for physician appointments indicate a growing shortage of physicians in the U.S., particularly in densely populated areas [3][5]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of identifying stocks that can exceed market expectations during earnings season, highlighting a selection of companies likely to outperform [1][4]. Stock Selection Criteria - A screening process identified five stocks: Fox (FOXA), Newmont (NEM), Affirm (AFRM), HealthStream (HSTM), and Iridium Communications (IRDM) as potential earnings beaters [1][10]. - The selection criteria included: - Last EPS Surprise greater than or equal to 10% [7] - Average EPS Surprise in the last four quarters greater than 20% [7] - Average EPS Surprise in the last two quarters greater than 20% [8] - Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2 [8] - Earnings ESP greater than zero [9] - Next 3–5 Years Estimated EPS Growth (Per Year) greater than 10% [10] - Average 20-day Volume greater than 100,000 [10] Company Profiles - **Fox (FOXA)**: A Zacks Rank 1 company with an average earnings surprise of 24.20% over the past four quarters [11]. - **Newmont (NEM)**: A Zacks Rank 2 company, one of the largest gold producers globally, with an average earnings surprise of 32.41% [11]. - **Affirm (AFRM)**: A Zacks Rank 1 financial technology company specializing in payment solutions, boasting an average earnings surprise of 84.09% [12]. - **HealthStream (HSTM)**: A Zacks Rank 1 company providing workforce development solutions in healthcare, with an average earnings surprise of 42.02% [13]. - **Iridium Communications (IRDM)**: A Zacks Rank 2 satellite communications company, achieving an average earnings surprise of 40.90% [14].