BUZZ-Truist lifts US health insurer PTs on margin recovery prospects
CVS Health Corporation CVS | 0.00 | |
Humana Inc. HUM | 0.00 | |
Cigna Group CI | 0.00 | |
Molina Healthcare, Inc. MOH | 0.00 | |
Centene Corporation CNC | 0.00 |
** Truist Securities raises PTs on U.S. health insurers Centene CNC.N, CVS Health CVS.N, Elevance Health ELV.N, Humana HUM.N, Molina Healthcare MOH.N and UnitedHealth UNH.N, while keeping ratings unchanged
** Brokerage sees the sector "having several innings remaining of a longer-term earnings recovery opportunity across the government businesses"
** The S&P 500 Managed Health Care Sub-Industry Index .SPLRCHMO has gained 32.03% YTD, according to LSEG data
** Brokerage expects profits from government-backed plans to improve, supported by favorable 2027 Medicare rates and Medicaid margins likely bottoming in 2026 before recovering from 2027
** Truist also sees further growth in Affordable Care Act plans and manageable medical use, adding that insurers' 2026 cost and pricing forecasts appear conservative
** "We remain bullish on continued investment activity across the group in technology/automation/AI," Truist says
** Brokerage reiterates "buy" ratings on Cigna CI.N, CNC, CVS, ELV and UNH and "hold" for HUM and MOH
PT changes from Truist:
Company |
New PT |
Old PT |
CNC |
$78 |
$71 |
CVS |
$118 |
$108 |
ELV |
$475 |
$450 |
HUM |
$415 |
$320 |
MOH |
$250 |
$205 |
UNH |
$480 |
$440 |
