Latest news with #MichaelHa
Yahoo
09-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Baird Reduces PT on Elevance Health (ELV) Stock, Maintains Neutral
Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV) is one of the Most Undervalued Long Term Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. On July 25, Baird analyst Michael Ha reduced the price target on the company's stock to $297 from $492, while keeping a 'Neutral' rating, as reported by The Fly. This comes as part of an update on the managed care and healthcare facilities group. Notably, the firm remains increasingly cautious on Medicaid and the healthcare exchange. While the external environment has been evolving, Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV) remains focused on managing healthcare costs, deploying targeted investments in advanced technology and value-based care delivery, and reinforcing the operational foundation, which helps the long-term value creation. A medical professional working at a computer, utilizing the company's digital solutions to improve care quality for consumers. Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV)'s operating revenue came in at $49.4 billion in Q2 2025, reflecting a rise of $6.2 billion, or 14% compared to Q2 2024. This was because of increased premium yields in its Health Benefits segment, recently closed acquisitions, as well as growth in the Medicare Advantage membership, partially mitigated by the membership attrition in the Medicaid business. As a result of the embedded earnings power of Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV)'s diversified Health Benefits and Carelon businesses, it expects to achieve a minimum of 12% average annual growth in adjusted diluted EPS over time. Hotchkis & Wiley, an investment management company, released its Q1 2025 investor letter. Here is what the fund said: 'Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV), formerly known as Anthem, is a large health insurer, and the largest commercial health insurer. ELV is priced at a discount to the market; however, we believe it is a superior business, growing faster than gross domestic product while still returning most of its cash to shareholders. ELV reported earnings that were in line with consensus. Costs remain elevated but ELV reported signs of stabilization in Medicaid utilization trends. Management also provided guidance for stable Medicare Advantage margins in 2025. Overall, this was a positive quarter for ELV as commercial performance remains strong and it showed signs of normalization for utilization and cost trends.' While we acknowledge the potential of ELV as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 13 Cheap AI Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 11 Unstoppable Growth Stocks to Invest in Now Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CNBC
31-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Baird downgrades UnitedHealth shares, cites concerns over Optum Health business
Baird thinks UnitedHealth shares could come under even more pressure in the months ahead. The firm downgraded the name to underperform from neutral and slashed its price target by $114 to $198. That implies more than 25% downside potential from Wednesday's closing level. "Our [risk assessment framework] analysis cast doubt on Optum Health, which was confirmed by 2Q25 earnings with [value-based care] long-term margins lowered to 5% and a total v28 implied headwind close to 20% over three years," analyst Michael Ha wrote in a Wednesday note. "With minimal successful offsets/mitigation through Y2 and re-coding back to pre-v28 levels seemingly unrealistic, we have low conviction on UNH's ability to maintain 1% VBC margins in 2026." Shares have seen some pullback this week, falling more than 5%, after the company's earnings forecast for the full year came in well below analyst estimates on Tuesday. While the company's second-quarter revenue just beat expectations, its earnings for the quarter also missed estimates. That slide puts the stock's six-month and year-to-date decline at about 51% and 47%, respectively, both of which are severely lagging the broader market's more than 5% rise in the last six months and more than 8% gain in 2025. UNH 6M mountain UNH, 6-month In addition to concerns surrounding the company's ability to maintain its VBC margins at 1%, Ha said that other segments of the business, excluding Optum Health, look "more challenged than we anticipated," citing Medicare Advantage, Community Group and HIX, Medicare and Medicaid plans and Optum Insight in particular. "Across UHC/OptumInsight/OptumRx, we saw a visible path forward for strong 2026 margin improvement and earnings contribution," the analyst wrote. "However, following the 2Q earnings call, we now see a more challenging fundamental environment into 2026 with greater than expected headwinds across essentially every UHC line of business: MA, Comm Group/HIX, MDCD (and our growing concerns on MDCD work requirements) and surprisingly lower OptumInsight operating margins when excluding/halting portfolio actions." However, most analysts are still bullish on the name, as 19 out of 28 total analysts covering it have a strong buy or buy rating, according to LSEG data. Its consensus target of roughly $346 also calls for more than 30% upside. Shares were down more than 1% in premarket trading Thursday following the downgrade.
CNBC
15-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Here's why Baird analyst Michael Ha maintains a 'cautious' outperform rating on UnitedHealth
Michael Ha, senior research analyst at Baird, joins 'Fast Money' to discuss UnitedHealth Group as the healthcare giant's stock plunged on reports of a DOJ probe into possible Medicare fraud.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Alignment Healthcare Inc (ALHC) The Top Falling Stock with Unusual Volume?
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Alignment Healthcare Inc (NASDAQ:ALHC) stands against other top falling stocks with unusual volume. Uncertainty around tariffs and macroeconomic conditions has dented investor confidence, resulting in stock prices falling. While some stocks have come under pressure due to the above two reasons, others have simply followed the market direction or have dipped for company-specific reasons. Regardless of the reasons for stocks going down, falling stocks provide an opportunity for fresh investors to get in at good prices. Once the risks subside, these stocks usually recover quickly as well. We decided to uncover these stocks and see if it makes sense to put money in them to take advantage of the ongoing market turmoil. To come up with our list of top 20 stocks falling with unusual volume, we looked at stocks over $300 million in market cap, their one-week performance, and used relative volume to detect the unusual volume activity. Relative volume compares the daily volume to the three-month average trading volume of the stock, making it easy to detect spikes in volume. These spikes usually signal something important is happening, which, when combined with falling prices, becomes a red flag that investors can't ignore. A doctor holding a clipboard talking to an elderly patient in a Medicare Advantage healthcare facility. Alignment Healthcare Inc (NASDAQ:ALHC) is a consumer-centric healthcare platform that provides a customized healthcare experience to fulfill the requirements of seniors. It offers its personalized healthcare through Medicare Advantage plans. The company's stock is down 7.79% in a week on a relative volume of 2.34. A few days ago, Baird analyst Michael Ha recommended the stock as a top pick. He also upgraded the firm with an Outperform rating and a raised price target of $22 from $17. Ha believes that due to the company's domestic Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plan focus, it is protected from potential tariff effects. He also highlighted potential headwinds: 'We expect companies to outperform 1Q, but we do not expect guidance raises as we believe companies will maintain 2025G conservatism/cushion given potential Part D and macro headwinds that may evolve later this year.' Despite rapid growth over the past few years, Alignment Healthcare Inc (NASDAQ:ALHC) still generates substantial net losses. In 2024, the firm recorded a net loss of $128 million. It managed to improve its operating cash flows in the last three years, going from negative to positive. However, the company is still in the early stages of attaining consistent and long-term profitability. Overall, ALHC ranks 12th on our list of top falling stocks with unusual volume. While we acknowledge the potential of ALHC as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ALHC but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at . Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) The Top Falling Stock with Unusual Volume?
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) stands against other top falling stocks with unusual volume. Uncertainty around tariffs and macroeconomic conditions has dented investor confidence, resulting in stock prices falling. While some stocks have come under pressure due to the above two reasons, others have simply followed the market direction or have dipped for company-specific reasons. Regardless of the reasons for stocks going down, falling stocks provide an opportunity for fresh investors to get in at good prices. Once the risks subside, these stocks usually recover quickly as well. We decided to uncover these stocks and see if it makes sense to put money in them to take advantage of the ongoing market turmoil. To come up with our list of top 20 stocks falling with unusual volume, we looked at stocks over $300 million in market cap, their one-week performance, and used relative volume to detect the unusual volume activity. Relative volume compares the daily volume to the three-month average trading volume of the stock, making it easy to detect spikes in volume. These spikes usually signal something important is happening, which, when combined with falling prices, becomes a red flag that investors can't ignore. A senior healthcare professional giving advice to a patient in a clinic. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is a health care company. The firm operates in the Optum Health, Optum Rx, UnitedHealthcare, and Optum Insight segments. It offers care management, consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services, advisory consulting arrangements, pharmacy care services and programs, and others. The stock is down 23.60% in a week on a relative volume of 5.62. Baird's analyst, Michael Ha, recently recommended the healthcare provider as its top pick, citing its ability to withstand potential tariffs effectively. The analyst assigned an Outperform rating on the stock with a price target of $640. Analyst Michael Ha believes that due to its domestic focus on Medicare plans, the managed care firm is protected from tariff impacts. The company also recently updated its FY2025 outlook after an earnings debacle that saw its price crash about 20%. Based on the updated guidance, UnitedHealthcare's operating earnings are anticipated to be in the range of $16 billion to $16.5 billion. Driven by higher care activity and patient mix changes. The medical care ratio is projected to be 87.5% for the full year. The firm aims to adapt its Medicare Advantage pricing and plan designs for 2026 based on the 2025 trends. The post-earnings period is turning out to be the worst in the company's history, but the firm continues to generate healthy numbers. With revenue up 60% over the last 5 years, and free cash flow up by a similar number, the juggernaut is moving strong. It is also well-supported by a strong dividend and a buyback program. A poor earnings caught everyone by surprise, but once the high volume selling subsides, the stock will be even attractive than it was just a week ago. Overall, UNH ranks 2nd on our list of top falling stocks with unusual volume. While we acknowledge the potential of UNH as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than UNH but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at .
