In the latest trading session, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) closed at $323.62, marking a -2.2% move from the previous day. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 0.35% for the day. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.45%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.14%. Shares of the largest U.S. health insurer have appreciated by 2.07% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Medical sector's gain of 5.67%, and outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.2%.Investors will be eagerly watch ...

Group 1: Stock Performance - UnitedHealth Group (UNH) closed at $319.97, reflecting a +2.71% change from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.98% [1] - Over the last month, UNH shares decreased by 13.57%, underperforming the Medical sector's gain of 4.76% and the S&P 500's loss of 2.79% [1] Group 2: Earnings Projections - Upcoming EPS for UnitedHealth Group is projected at $2.07, indicating a significant 69.60% decline compared to the same quarter last year [2] - Revenue is expected to reach $113.53 billion, representing a 12.62% increase from the year-ago quarter [2] Group 3: Fiscal Year Estimates - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are estimated at $16.29 per share, reflecting a -41.11% change from the previous year, while revenue is projected at $447.97 billion, indicating an +11.91% change [3] - Recent adjustments to analyst estimates suggest a favorable outlook on the business health and profitability [3] Group 4: Valuation Metrics - UnitedHealth Group has a Forward P/E ratio of 19.13, which is higher than the industry average of 11.81, indicating a premium valuation [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 2.03, compared to the Medical - HMOs industry's average PEG ratio of 1.16 [7] Group 5: Industry Ranking - The Medical - HMOs industry currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 203, placing it within the bottom 18% of over 250 industries [7] - The Zacks Rank system, which assesses the strength of industry groups, shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [8]

Core Insights - The Joint Corp. reported quarterly earnings of $0.02 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.01 per share, representing an earnings surprise of +300.00% [1] - The company posted revenues of $13.38 million for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.84%, but down from $30.2 million year-over-year [2] - The stock has underperformed the market, losing about 22% since the beginning of the year compared to the S&P 500's gain of 15.6% [3] Earnings Performance - Over the last four quarters, The Joint has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times and topped consensus revenue estimates three times [2] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the coming quarter is $0.16 on revenues of $15.04 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.03 on revenues of $54.63 million [7] Market Outlook - The company's earnings outlook will be crucial for future stock performance, with management's commentary on the earnings call expected to influence investor sentiment [3][4] - The Zacks Rank for The Joint is currently 3 (Hold), indicating that shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future [6] Industry Context - The Medical - HMOs industry, to which The Joint belongs, is currently in the bottom 27% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8]

Core Insights - Humana reported quarterly earnings of $3.24 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.91 per share, but down from $4.16 per share a year ago, indicating an earnings surprise of +11.34% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $32.65 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.09% and up from $29.3 billion year-over-year [2] - Humana has outperformed consensus EPS estimates three times in the last four quarters and has also topped revenue estimates three times during the same period [2] Earnings Outlook - The future performance of Humana's stock will largely depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently released numbers [3][4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$3.70 on revenues of $31.77 billion, while for the current fiscal year, it is $17.05 on revenues of $128.21 billion [7] Industry Context - The Medical - HMOs industry, to which Humana belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 26% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting that the overall industry outlook may negatively impact Humana's stock performance [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked by investors or through tools like the Zacks Rank [5][6]

Core Insights - Select Medical (SEM) reported quarterly earnings of $0.23 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.18 per share, but down from $0.5 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +27.78% [1] - The company posted revenues of $1.36 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.87%, but down from $1.76 billion year-over-year [2] - Select Medical shares have declined approximately 24.2% year-to-date, contrasting with the S&P 500's gain of 17.2% [3] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.26 on revenues of $1.36 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.18 on revenues of $5.38 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for Select Medical was mixed prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [6] Industry Context - The Medical - HMOs industry, to which Select Medical belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 35% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8] - Humana (HUM), another company in the same industry, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $2.91 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of -30.1%, with revenues anticipated to be $31.98 billion, up 9.1% from the previous year [9][10]

Group 1: Earnings Performance - Cigna reported quarterly earnings of $7.83 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.7 per share, and up from $7.51 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +1.69% [1] - The company posted revenues of $69.57 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.59%, compared to $63.7 billion in the same quarter last year [2] Group 2: Stock Performance and Outlook - Cigna shares have increased by approximately 8.3% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 17.2% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $8.04 on revenues of $67.81 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $29.69 on revenues of $267.39 billion [7] Group 3: Industry Context - The Medical - HMOs industry, to which Cigna belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 35% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges for stock performance [8] - The Joint Corp., another company in the same industry, is expected to report a quarterly loss of $0.01 per share, reflecting a year-over-year change of -125%, with revenues anticipated to be $13.27 million, down 56.1% from the previous year [9]

Core Insights - UnitedHealth Group's stock has not experienced the anticipated post-earnings rally, but there are signs of operational stabilization [1] - The company reported mixed Q3 results, with adjusted earnings exceeding expectations but sales slightly missing estimates [3][4] - UnitedHealth raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance, indicating a more optimistic outlook [6] Financial Performance - Q3 adjusted earnings were $2.92 per share, surpassing expectations of $2.75, but down from $7.15 in the same quarter last year [3] - Q3 sales reached $113.16 billion, a 12% increase from $100.82 billion a year ago, but slightly below estimates of $113.35 billion [4] - The company has raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to at least $16.25, above the previous floor of $16.00 and the Zacks Consensus of $16.15 [6] Leadership and Future Outlook - CEO Stephen Hemsley highlighted solid earnings growth prospects for 2026 and beyond, despite warnings of potential membership losses in Medicare Advantage and ACA plans [8] - Annual EPS is projected to rebound to $17.39 in fiscal 2026 according to Zacks' estimates [8] Valuation and Dividend - UnitedHealth's stock trades at a forward earnings multiple of 22.7X, slightly below the S&P 500 benchmark and the industry average of 18X [10] - The company offers a 2.4% annual dividend yield, which is higher than the benchmark's 1.07% and the industry average of 2.11% [11] - UnitedHealth has a history of raising dividends for at least 25 consecutive years, with a 12.91% annualized dividend growth rate over the last five years [12][14]

Core Viewpoint - Centene (CNC) reported quarterly earnings of $0.5 per share, significantly exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.21 per share, marking an earnings surprise of +338.10% [1] - The company generated revenues of $49.69 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.35% and showing an increase from $42.02 billion year-over-year [2] Financial Performance - Centene's earnings for the previous year were $1.62 per share, indicating a decline in profitability [1] - The company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times over the last four quarters [2] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$0.87, with projected revenues of $47.41 billion, while the estimate for the current fiscal year is $1.69 on $190.45 billion in revenues [7] Market Position - Centene shares have underperformed, losing about 45.2% since the beginning of the year, compared to a 17.2% gain in the S&P 500 [3] - The Zacks Rank for Centene is currently 5 (Strong Sell), indicating expectations of underperformance in the near future [6] Industry Outlook - The Medical - HMOs industry, to which Centene belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 26% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a challenging environment [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which could impact Centene's stock performance [5]

Core Insights - UnitedHealth Group is a leading health insurance provider in the United States, competing with major players like Anthem and Cigna [1] Financial Performance - For the quarter ending October 28, 2025, UnitedHealth reported earnings per share (EPS) of $2.92, exceeding the estimated $2.80 and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.75, resulting in an earnings surprise of 6.18%. However, this EPS decreased from $7.15 in the same quarter last year, indicating a decline in profitability [2] - The company's revenue for the quarter was $113.161 billion, slightly above the estimated $113.028 billion but falling short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.17%. This revenue reflects a significant increase from $100.82 billion reported a year ago, showcasing the company's growth efforts [3] Financial Metrics - UnitedHealth has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 14.24, a price-to-sales ratio of about 0.76, and an enterprise value to sales ratio of around 0.71, indicating the market's valuation of its earnings and sales [4] - The current ratio is approximately 0.82, suggesting the company's ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets. The earnings yield is about 7.02%, and the enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is approximately 14.72, highlighting the company's cash flow efficiency [5]

Core Insights - UnitedHealth Group (UNH) reported quarterly earnings of $2.92 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.75 per share, but down from $7.15 per share a year ago, indicating an earnings surprise of +6.18% [1] - The company posted revenues of $113.16 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, slightly missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.17%, compared to $100.82 billion in the same quarter last year [2] - UnitedHealth shares have declined approximately 27.7% year-to-date, contrasting with the S&P 500's gain of 16.9% [3] Earnings Outlook - The future performance of UnitedHealth's stock will largely depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the company's earnings outlook [4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $2.07 on revenues of $113.87 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $16.15 on revenues of $448.36 billion [7] Industry Context - The Medical - HMOs industry, to which UnitedHealth belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 26% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8] - Humana (HUM), a competitor in the same industry, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $2.91 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of -30.1%, with revenues anticipated to be $31.98 billion, up 9.1% from the previous year [9][10]