BUZZ-Truist lifts US health insurer PTs on margin recovery prospects

CVS Health Corporation
Humana Inc.
Cigna Group
Molina Healthcare, Inc.
Centene Corporation

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