Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 24th, 2026

Bessemer Group Inc. lessened its stake in shares of Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV – Free Report) by 97.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,297 shares of the company’s stock after selling 138,897 shares during the quarter. Bessemer Group Inc.’s holdings in Elevance Health were worth $1,258,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of ELV. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in Elevance Health by 18.1% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 2,845,280 shares of the company’s stock worth $832,956,000 after buying an additional 436,576 shares during the last quarter. Signet Financial Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Elevance Health by 3.5% in the first quarter. Signet Financial Management LLC now owns 837 shares of the company’s stock valued at $245,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Elevance Health by 11.3% in the 1st quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC now owns 2,194 shares of the company’s stock worth $642,000 after acquiring an additional 222 shares in the last quarter. AMG National Trust Bank boosted its holdings in shares of Elevance Health by 84.7% in the 1st quarter. AMG National Trust Bank now owns 7,300 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,137,000 after acquiring an additional 3,348 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management grew its position in Elevance Health by 36.8% during the 1st quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 2,480 shares of the company’s stock worth $726,000 after acquiring an additional 667 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.24% of the company’s stock.

Elevance Health Stock Down 2.7% Shares of ELV opened at $378.48 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $399.00 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $356.37. The firm has a market capitalization of $82.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.82, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.67. Elevance Health, Inc. has a 52 week low of $273.71 and a 52 week high of $436.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 1.52 and a current ratio of 1.52.

Elevance Health (NYSE:ELV – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 15th. The company reported $7.45 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.21 by $1.24. The company had revenue of $49.83 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $48.88 billion. Elevance Health had a return on equity of 14.64% and a net margin of 2.47%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $8.84 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Elevance Health, Inc. will post 27.08 earnings per share for the current year.

Elevance Health Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 25th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 10th will be given a dividend of $1.72 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 10th. This represents a $6.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.8%. Elevance Health’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Insider Activity In other news, Director Robert L. Dixon, Jr. sold 151 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $401.77, for a total value of $60,667.27. Following the transaction, the director owned 10,734 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,312,599.18. This trade represents a 1.39% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.34% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages have issued reports on ELV. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Elevance Health from $400.00 to $460.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $395.00 target price on shares of Elevance Health in a report on Thursday, July 16th. TD Cowen lifted their price target on Elevance Health from $400.00 to $465.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Elevance Health from $395.00 to $391.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Citigroup raised shares of Elevance Health to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 29th. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Elevance Health has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $440.90.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Elevance Health

Elevance Health Company Profile (Free Report)

Elevance Health, Inc (NYSE: ELV) is a large U.S.-based health benefits company that provides a broad range of health insurance products and related services. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the company rebranded from Anthem, Inc to Elevance Health in 2022 while continuing to operate consumer-facing health plans under established state and national brands. Gail Boudreaux serves as chief executive officer and president, leading the company’s strategic focus on integrated health care and benefit delivery.

Elevance’s core activities include offering medical and specialty health plans for individuals, employers and government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid managed-care products.

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Acumen Wealth Advisors LLC decreased its stake in shares of Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE: ELV) by 51.5% during the undefined quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,935 shares of the company's stock after selling 7,357 shares during the quarter. Acumen Wealth Advisors

Elevance Health (NYSE:ELV) raised its 2026 adjusted earnings outlook after second-quarter results came in ahead of management’s expectations, citing favorable benefit expense performance, disciplined cost management and improving execution across several major business lines.

President and CEO Gail Boudreaux said the company now expects 2026 adjusted diluted earnings per share of at least $27. Chief Financial Officer Mark Kaye said Elevance views at least $26 as the appropriate 2026 earnings baseline for modeling purposes and remains confident in returning to at least 12% adjusted EPS growth in 2027 off that higher baseline.

For the second quarter, Elevance reported adjusted diluted earnings per share of $7.45. Operating revenue was $49.8 billion, up 0.8% from a year earlier, driven by higher premium yields and product revenue, partly offset by lower health plan membership. The company ended the quarter with 44.9 million medical members, with the sequential decline attributed mainly to a known fee-based customer transition and attrition in its individual ACA and Medicaid businesses.

Medicaid Remains a Key Focus as Margins Stay Under Pressure Management spent much of the call addressing Medicaid, where Boudreaux said the operating environment remains “dynamic.” Elevance maintained its full-year Medicaid operating margin outlook of approximately negative 1.75%, even as rate updates received during the quarter were stronger than anticipated.

Kaye said Medicaid cost drivers remain elevated and concentrated in previously identified areas, including behavioral health, specialty pharmacy, outpatient surgery and emergency department utilization. He said the company is not seeing a new “stepwise acuity reset,” adding that membership and acuity remain broadly aligned with assumptions. Instead, incremental pressure is increasingly tied to utilization among members who remain in the program.

Management reiterated that 2026 is expected to be the trough year for Medicaid margins, with improvement over time supported by better rate alignment and the maturation of care management actions. Kaye said the second-half Medicaid margin profile is expected to improve from the second quarter, supported by favorable July 1 rate activity and continued execution against cost pressures.

Boudreaux also said Elevance recently reached a mutual agreement with the District of Columbia to exit the D.C. Medicaid market. She said the company expects to exit additional Medicaid markets over the next 12 to 18 months where it does not see a path to sustainable performance. Executives did not identify the additional markets or provide sizing for potential exits.

Medicare Advantage and ACA Help Drive Second-Quarter Outperformance Elevance said Medicare Advantage results were stronger than expected and contributed to the company’s quarterly outperformance. Boudreaux said deliberate actions taken to reposition the portfolio — including disciplined plan design and a more focused mix of dual-eligible special needs plans and HMO products — are translating into stronger performance.

The company said it remains on track for at least a 2% operating margin in Medicare Advantage this year. Aimée Dailey, president of Government Health Benefits, said Elevance’s 2027 bids were developed with a prudent view of trend and a continued focus on sustainable margin improvement. She said the company continues to believe underlying medical cost trend is outpacing program funding.

In the individual ACA business, management said performance is developing broadly in line with how the year was priced and planned. Kaye said second-quarter favorability reflected more pronounced seasonality tied to a higher mix of bronze plans, as well as favorable final 2025 CMS risk adjustment results relative to prior estimates. However, he said Elevance is not extrapolating that favorability into 2026 and is reestablishing much of the prior-year favorability in its current-year risk adjustment accrual.

Kaye said member retention in ACA remains modestly ahead of expectations and that Elevance now expects to end 2026 with at least 1 million individual ACA members.

Commercial Business and Carelon Remain Growth Priorities In commercial health benefits, management said performance was in line with expectations, with cost trend remaining elevated but consistent with the company’s pricing approach. Morgan Kendrick, president of Commercial Health Benefits, said the market remains focused on affordability and simplicity, and that Elevance’s assets are resonating with employers.

Kendrick said the company’s fee-based and self-funded commercial businesses are performing well, including both local market and national account activity. He said Elevance had a record year in national accounts for 2026 and that its pipeline for 2027 is nearly as large. He also said some customers that left the company in prior years have returned.

Carelon also remains a focus of Elevance’s growth strategy. Boudreaux said CareBridge, which extends Carelon’s whole-health model into the home, can generate medical savings in the mid-teens for members and is being expanded into new markets. She also said Carelon behavioral health programs have delivered average cost savings of 10% through stronger member engagement and fewer adverse events.

Company Plans One-Time Investments From Non-Recurring Benefit Kaye said Elevance recorded a net below-the-line benefit of $0.80 per share in the quarter, primarily related to valuation adjustments within net investment income. Management said it plans to use that non-recurring benefit to fund one-time investments in the second half of the year.

Boudreaux said the investments are focused on strengthening medical cost management, member engagement, provider connectivity, operating efficiency and Carelon’s integrated capabilities. She said the company is using data and AI-enabled tools to identify medical cost pressures earlier and respond more quickly with targeted clinical, network, payment integrity and operating actions.

Executives emphasized that these incremental investments are one-time and will not recur in 2027. Kaye said the company’s 2026 outlook already included approximately $0.75 per share of targeted investment spending that is part of the ongoing run rate, separate from the new $0.80 per share of accelerated investments funded by the below-the-line benefit.

Cash Flow Outlook Raised; CMS Matter Closed Elevance reported second-quarter operating cash flow of $1.9 billion. Kaye said cash flow benefited from strong operating performance and the timing of a state Medicaid pass-through payment received in the quarter and remitted in July. The company raised its full-year operating cash flow outlook to at least $6 billion.

Days in claims payable were 45.4 days as of June 30, up 2.9 days from a year earlier. Kaye said the company remains confident in its reserving levels and described its reserve posture as consistent and prudent.

Kaye also said Elevance made an initial remittance of $342 million to CMS in the second quarter related to a matter discussed on the prior quarter’s call. He said the estimate of potential total financial exposure remains unchanged. As of July 9, Elevance completed all steps required by CMS and subsequently received written confirmation that sanctions will not be imposed and the matter is closed.

Boudreaux closed the call by saying Elevance’s confidence in 2027 is based on the breadth of the enterprise rather than any single line of business. She pointed to commercial pricing discipline, Medicare Advantage portfolio actions, ACA execution, expected Medicaid improvement, Carelon growth, operating efficiency and capital deployment as contributors to the company’s earnings path.

About Elevance Health (NYSE:ELV) Elevance Health, Inc (NYSE: ELV) is a large U.S.-based health benefits company that provides a broad range of health insurance products and related services. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the company rebranded from Anthem, Inc to Elevance Health in 2022 while continuing to operate consumer-facing health plans under established state and national brands. Gail Boudreaux serves as chief executive officer and president, leading the company’s strategic focus on integrated health care and benefit delivery.

Elevance’s core activities include offering medical and specialty health plans for individuals, employers and government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid managed-care products.

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A letter arrives in late summer. The hospital system a retiree has used for 20 years, the one that houses her cardiologist and her oncologist and her primary care doctor, will no longer accept her Medicare Advantage plan as of a date printed near the bottom of page two. She had made no changes on her end. Her plan stayed in place on paper. The contract between the two of them ended, and she found out by mail.

This scenario has become common enough that it is worth understanding before the next Annual Enrollment Period. If you are on Original Medicare with a Medigap policy, this article is largely not about you. If you are on a Medicare Advantage plan, or considering one at 65, the mechanic below is the one that will most likely bite.

Why Hospitals Are Walking Away Mid-Contract Hospital systems and physician groups across the country have terminated or declined to renew Medicare Advantage contracts over the past two years, citing three recurring problems: prior-authorization friction, claim denials, and slow or low reimbursement from MA plans. In plain terms, hospitals say they treat the patient, then spend months arguing with the insurer over whether the care was necessary and how much of it will be paid.

The insurer side of the ledger explains the pressure. Elevance Health (NYSE:ELV | ELV Price Prediction), one of the largest managed care companies in the country, reported that elevated medical costs in government businesses contributed to an increased benefit expense ratio in its most recent quarter. When insurers face rising costs on MA members, they tighten authorization rules and push back harder on hospital bills. Hospitals absorb the delay, then decide the contract is not worth renewing.

The result lands in a patient’s mailbox.

What the Letter Actually Means A mid-year network termination leaves your Medicare Advantage plan in place. Your plan continues, but the hospital or physician group inside it does not. Once the termination date passes, visits to that provider are treated as out-of-network. On most HMO-style MA plans, out-of-network care is not covered at all except in emergencies. On PPO-style plans, it is covered at a higher cost share, and out-of-network spending typically does not count toward the in-network out-of-pocket maximum.

The advertised in-network cap on your plan stops protecting you the moment your hospital leaves the network.

The Protections That Actually Apply Federal continuity-of-care rules require Medicare Advantage plans to allow certain patients, typically those in active treatment for serious conditions, pregnancy, or end-stage illness, to continue seeing a departing provider at in-network cost sharing for a transitional period. The plan sets the exact terms, and the patient must request it. It is not automatic.

A Special Enrollment Period may open when a plan experiences a significant network change, which lets the member switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare outside the usual October-to-December window. CMS decides case by case whether an SEP applies, so the letter from the plan is the first place to check. If it grants an SEP, use it.

The Switch-Back Trap Returning to Original Medicare sounds like the clean fix. It is not that simple after the first six months of Part B enrollment. Outside that federal Medigap open enrollment window, a Medigap insurer in most states can medically underwrite, charge more, or deny coverage entirely. A handful of states, including New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, offer broader guaranteed-issue rights. Everywhere else, a 72-year-old with a cardiac history who wants to leave her MA plan may find Medigap effectively closed to her.

This is the cost of the original MA decision that the $0 premium never advertised. Getting in is easy. Getting out clean is not. (For retirees mapping the broader landscape of surprise Medicare costs, the Medicare’s Hidden Bills report walks through the categories worth stress-testing before enrollment.)

What To Do Now Read every plan letter the month it arrives. Network termination notices are legally required, but they look like junk mail. The effective date on page two is the only date that matters. Re-verify your provider network every Annual Enrollment Period, which runs October 15 to December 7. Do not assume last year’s network carries forward. Call the hospital’s billing office directly and ask which MA contracts they will honor for the coming plan year, not just which they accept today. If you are still inside your six-month Medigap open enrollment window, price a Medigap Plan G or Plan N against your current MA plan before that window closes. The underwriting protection you have right now expires once, and never returns in most states. With the 2026 Social Security COLA at 2.8%, most retirees have little slack in their monthly budget for an out-of-network hospital bill they did not plan for. The letter in the mailbox is the warning. The action window closes fast.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Elevance Health, Inc. (ELV) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Key Takeaways ELV topped Q2 EPS and revenue estimates as premium yields and CarelonRx sales supported results.Elevance Health raised 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to at least $27.00 and lifted operating cash flow outlook.ELV grew operating cash flow to $6.2B as cash rose, while medical membership declined 1.5% year over year. Elevance Health, Inc. (ELV - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $7.45, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 20.6%. However, the bottom line declined 15.7% year over year.

Operating revenues advanced 0.8% year over year to $49.8 billion. The top line beat the consensus mark by 2.9%.

The quarterly results were primarily driven by higher premium yields in the Health Benefits segment and increased CarelonRx product revenues. The upside was partly offset by a decline in overall medical membership and an elevated expense level.

ELV’s Q2 Operational UpdateAs of June 30, 2026, Medical membership of Elevance Health was around 44.9 million, which dipped 1.5% year over year. The decrease was due to the expected loss of some commercial fee-based customers and a decline in Individual ACA and Medicaid membership. The reported figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 44.8 million and our estimate of 44.5 million.

Premiums totaled $41.3 billion in the quarter under review, which remained flat year over year and surpassed our estimate of $39.3 billion. Product revenues grew 3.7% year over year to $6.3 billion, marginally missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.9% and our estimate by 0.5%.

Net investment income rose 44.9% year over year to $704 million. The Adjusted operating margin of 3.6% deteriorated 140 basis points (bps) year over year.

Total expenses escalated 2.2% year over year to $48.5 billion in the second quarter, higher than our estimate of $46.7 billion. The year-over-year increase was due to higher cost of products sold, operating expenses and interest expenses.

The operating expense ratio was 11.1%, which increased 100 bps year over year. The benefit expense ratio increased 80 bps year over year to 89.7%.

Q2 Segmental Results of ELVHealth Benefits

The unit recorded operating revenues of $42.7 billion in the second quarter, which rose 2.7% year over year and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $41.2 billion as well as our estimate of $40.7 billion. The segment benefited from increased premium yields.

The unit recorded an operating gain of $0.9 billion, which fell 43.8% year over year. It also missed the consensus mark of $1 billion. The operating margin deteriorated 170 basis points year over year to 2.1%.

Carelon

The segment’s operating revenues rose 6.1% year over year to $19.2 billion in the quarter under review, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $18.4 billion and our estimate of $18.3 billion. The year-over-year increase was driven by higher CarelonRx product revenues and the scaling of risk-based capabilities in Carelon Services.

The unit’s operating gain of $0.9 billion was up 1% year over year, reflecting better profitability in specialty pharmacy. The operating margin deteriorated 30 bps year over year to 4.9%.

Corporate & Other

Operating revenues amounted to $6 million. The unit incurred an operating loss of $81 million, wider than the prior-year quarter’s loss of $71 million.

ELV’s Financial Details (As of June 30, 2026)Elevance Health exited the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $10.2 billion, which advanced 7.8% from the 2025-end level. Total assets of $126.4 billion increased 4.1% from the figure as of 2025-end.

Long-term debt, less the current portion, amounted to $30.7 billion and fell 0.4% from the figure as of Dec. 31, 2025. There were no short-term borrowings at the end of the second quarter, while the current portion of the long-term debt amounted to $375 million.

Total equity of $45 billion was up 2.3% from the 2025-end level.

Elevance Health generated net cash flow from operations of $6.2 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2026. The figure rose from the prior-year figure of $3.1 billion.

ELV: Capital Deployment UpdateElevance Health bought back shares worth $0.7 million in the second quarter. It had a leftover capacity of around $5.3 billion under its share buyback authorization as of June 30, 2026.

Elevance Health paid a quarterly dividend of $1.72 per share, adding up to a cash distribution worth $373 million.

ELV’s Revised 2026 OutlookThe company now expects adjusted EPS to be at least $27.00, up from the previous guidance of at least $26.75.

The operating margin for the Health Benefits segment was earlier estimated to witness a decrease of 50-25 bps from the 2025 reported figure. Also, the operating margin for CarelonRx was expected to see a 25-0 bps decline, while the same for Carelon Services was estimated to witness an increase of 0-25 bps.

Management had earlier projected operating revenues to witness a low-single-digit decline in 2026 from the 2025 level. Premium revenues were estimated to witness a mid-single-digit decline from the 2025 level. Medical enrollment was forecasted to be between 43.2 million and 43.9 million in 2026.

Net investment income was expected to be $1.9 billion. Interest expenses were forecasted to be $1.5 billion in 2026, while operating cash flow guidance raised to at least $6.0 billion. Diluted shares are estimated to be 219-220 million.

ELV’s Zacks Rank & Other Key PicksELV currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH - Free Report) , CVS Health Corporation (CVS - Free Report) and Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc. (MD - Free Report) , each currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UnitedHealth Group’s second quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $4.87 per share, which has witnessed one upward revision in the past 60 days, with no movement in the opposite direction. It beat earnings estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 0.8%. The consensus estimates for UNH’s second quarter2026 revenues is pinned at $110.05 billion.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CVS Health’s second quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $1.87 per share, which has witnessed two upward revisions in the past 60 days, with no movement in the opposite direction. It beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 16.8% The consensus estimates for CVS’ second quarter 2026 revenues is pinned at $100.18 billion, implying 1.3% year-over-year growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Pediatrix Medical’s second quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at 57 cents per share, indicating a 7.6% year-over-year increase. It beat earnings estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 21.3%. The consensus estimate for MD’s second quarter 2026 revenues is pinned at $ 477.34 million, implying 1.8% year-over-year growth.

This ETF Is Proof That the Healthcare Rebound Is RealElevance Health NYSE: ELV raised its 2026 adjusted earnings outlook after second-quarter results came in ahead of management’s expectations, citing favorable benefit expense performance, disciplined cost management and improving execution across several major business lines.

President and CEO Gail Boudreaux said the company now expects 2026 adjusted diluted earnings per share of at least $27. Chief Financial Officer Mark Kaye said Elevance views at least $26 as the appropriate 2026 earnings baseline for modeling purposes and remains confident in returning to at least 12% adjusted EPS growth in 2027 off that higher baseline.

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Getting Defensive: 3 Dividend Payers Reporting Strong Q3 EarningsFor the second quarter, Elevance reported adjusted diluted earnings per share of $7.45. Operating revenue was $49.8 billion, up 0.8% from a year earlier, driven by higher premium yields and product revenue, partly offset by lower health plan membership. The company ended the quarter with 44.9 million medical members, with the sequential decline attributed mainly to a known fee-based customer transition and attrition in its individual ACA and Medicaid businesses.

Medicaid Remains a Key Focus as Margins Stay Under Pressure Management spent much of the call addressing Medicaid, where Boudreaux said the operating environment remains “dynamic.” Elevance maintained its full-year Medicaid operating margin outlook of approximately negative 1.75%, even as rate updates received during the quarter were stronger than anticipated.

Why Centene Stock Dropped 40% — And Whether It's a Buy NowKaye said Medicaid cost drivers remain elevated and concentrated in previously identified areas, including behavioral health, specialty pharmacy, outpatient surgery and emergency department utilization. He said the company is not seeing a new “stepwise acuity reset,” adding that membership and acuity remain broadly aligned with assumptions. Instead, incremental pressure is increasingly tied to utilization among members who remain in the program.

Management reiterated that 2026 is expected to be the trough year for Medicaid margins, with improvement over time supported by better rate alignment and the maturation of care management actions. Kaye said the second-half Medicaid margin profile is expected to improve from the second quarter, supported by favorable July 1 rate activity and continued execution against cost pressures.

Boudreaux also said Elevance recently reached a mutual agreement with the District of Columbia to exit the D.C. Medicaid market. She said the company expects to exit additional Medicaid markets over the next 12 to 18 months where it does not see a path to sustainable performance. Executives did not identify the additional markets or provide sizing for potential exits.

Medicare Advantage and ACA Help Drive Second-Quarter Outperformance Elevance said Medicare Advantage results were stronger than expected and contributed to the company’s quarterly outperformance. Boudreaux said deliberate actions taken to reposition the portfolio — including disciplined plan design and a more focused mix of dual-eligible special needs plans and HMO products — are translating into stronger performance.

The company said it remains on track for at least a 2% operating margin in Medicare Advantage this year. Aimée Dailey, president of Government Health Benefits, said Elevance’s 2027 bids were developed with a prudent view of trend and a continued focus on sustainable margin improvement. She said the company continues to believe underlying medical cost trend is outpacing program funding.

In the individual ACA business, management said performance is developing broadly in line with how the year was priced and planned. Kaye said second-quarter favorability reflected more pronounced seasonality tied to a higher mix of bronze plans, as well as favorable final 2025 CMS risk adjustment results relative to prior estimates. However, he said Elevance is not extrapolating that favorability into 2026 and is reestablishing much of the prior-year favorability in its current-year risk adjustment accrual.

Kaye said member retention in ACA remains modestly ahead of expectations and that Elevance now expects to end 2026 with at least 1 million individual ACA members.

Commercial Business and Carelon Remain Growth Priorities In commercial health benefits, management said performance was in line with expectations, with cost trend remaining elevated but consistent with the company’s pricing approach. Morgan Kendrick, president of Commercial Health Benefits, said the market remains focused on affordability and simplicity, and that Elevance’s assets are resonating with employers.

Kendrick said the company’s fee-based and self-funded commercial businesses are performing well, including both local market and national account activity. He said Elevance had a record year in national accounts for 2026 and that its pipeline for 2027 is nearly as large. He also said some customers that left the company in prior years have returned.

Carelon also remains a focus of Elevance’s growth strategy. Boudreaux said CareBridge, which extends Carelon’s whole-health model into the home, can generate medical savings in the mid-teens for members and is being expanded into new markets. She also said Carelon behavioral health programs have delivered average cost savings of 10% through stronger member engagement and fewer adverse events.

Company Plans One-Time Investments From Non-Recurring Benefit Kaye said Elevance recorded a net below-the-line benefit of $0.80 per share in the quarter, primarily related to valuation adjustments within net investment income. Management said it plans to use that non-recurring benefit to fund one-time investments in the second half of the year.

Boudreaux said the investments are focused on strengthening medical cost management, member engagement, provider connectivity, operating efficiency and Carelon’s integrated capabilities. She said the company is using data and AI-enabled tools to identify medical cost pressures earlier and respond more quickly with targeted clinical, network, payment integrity and operating actions.

Executives emphasized that these incremental investments are one-time and will not recur in 2027. Kaye said the company’s 2026 outlook already included approximately $0.75 per share of targeted investment spending that is part of the ongoing run rate, separate from the new $0.80 per share of accelerated investments funded by the below-the-line benefit.

Cash Flow Outlook Raised; CMS Matter Closed Elevance reported second-quarter operating cash flow of $1.9 billion. Kaye said cash flow benefited from strong operating performance and the timing of a state Medicaid pass-through payment received in the quarter and remitted in July. The company raised its full-year operating cash flow outlook to at least $6 billion.

Days in claims payable were 45.4 days as of June 30, up 2.9 days from a year earlier. Kaye said the company remains confident in its reserving levels and described its reserve posture as consistent and prudent.

Kaye also said Elevance made an initial remittance of $342 million to CMS in the second quarter related to a matter discussed on the prior quarter’s call. He said the estimate of potential total financial exposure remains unchanged. As of July 9, Elevance completed all steps required by CMS and subsequently received written confirmation that sanctions will not be imposed and the matter is closed.

Boudreaux closed the call by saying Elevance’s confidence in 2027 is based on the breadth of the enterprise rather than any single line of business. She pointed to commercial pricing discipline, Medicare Advantage portfolio actions, ACA execution, expected Medicaid improvement, Carelon growth, operating efficiency and capital deployment as contributors to the company’s earnings path.

About Elevance Health NYSE: ELVElevance Health, Inc NYSE: ELV is a large U.S.-based health benefits company that provides a broad range of health insurance products and related services. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the company rebranded from Anthem, Inc to Elevance Health in 2022 while continuing to operate consumer-facing health plans under established state and national brands. Gail Boudreaux serves as chief executive officer and president, leading the company's strategic focus on integrated health care and benefit delivery.

Elevance's core activities include offering medical and specialty health plans for individuals, employers and government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid managed-care products.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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Elevance Health on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, reported second quarter net income of $1.45 billion as medical costs fell in some health plans, triggering an improved outlook for the rest of the year. In this photo, Elevance President and CEO Health Gail Boudreaux testifies at a House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on lowering health care costs at the Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Elevance Health reported second quarter net income of $1.45 billion as medical costs fell in some health plans, triggering an improved outlook for the rest of the year.

The health insurer raised its full year earnings outlook to “at least $20.10” per share compared to an earlier forecast of “at least $19.85” per share. The decision to issue a new outlook reflected "strong second quarter operating results,” the company said Wednesday in its report.

Elevance, which is the nation’s second-largest health insurer behind UnitedHealth Group’s UnitedHealthcare, is best known for its operation of Anthem brand Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in 14 states. In addition, Elevance manages Medicaid via contracts with multiple states and also sells individual coverage under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The company also has a growing Carelon healthcare services business.

Elevance reported a net income of $1.46 billion, or $6.71 per share, which was down 16.6% compared to $1.74 billion, or $7.72 per share. The company said the results “results were supported by favorable benefit expense performance and an approximately $0.80 per share net below-the-line benefit.”

Like many of its rival health insurers, the company has been battling rising medical expenses from customers in its health plans. Wednesday’s results reflected costs that are still up with the company’s benefit expense ratio, which is the percentage of premium revenue that goes toward medical costs, eclipsing 89%.

“The benefit expense ratio of 89.7 percent increased 80 basis points year over year, driven by expected elevated medical cost trend in our Government businesses, partially offset by improved performance in Individual ACA compared to the prior year,” Elevance said in its earnings report. The company’s reference to “individual ACA” is the individual health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare.

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Health insurers historically want that benefit expense ratio in the mid to low 80s but that’s been largely unachievable for most plans for the last year or so in part because Americans, particularly older adults in Medicare Advantage plans, have a pent up demand for healthcare following the Covid-19 pandemic when many patients delayed treatment. Costs have continued to surge into this year, insurers have been reporting.

But Elevance chief executive Gail K. Boudreaux said the company’s “second quarter results exceeded” executives outlook and the decision to raise guidance was “supported by disciplined execution and improved operating performance across our diversified portfolio.”

“We are raising our 2026 adjusted (earnings per share) guidance to at least $27.00 and accelerating targeted investments in the capabilities that matter most: medical cost management, member experience, provider connectivity, operating efficiency, and Carelon’s value-based solutions,” Boudreaux said in a statement accompanying the Elevance earnings report. "These actions will strengthen how we operate, improve consistency over time, and reinforce our confidence in returning to at least 12% adjusted EPS growth in 2027 off our 2026 earnings baseline.”

Total revenue was up 1.4% to $50.47 billion in the quarter. “Operating revenue was $49.8 billion in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of $0.4 billion compared to the prior year quarter,” Elevance said in its report. “This was driven by higher premium yields in our health benefits segment and growth in CarelonRx product revenue, partially offset by anticipated declines in our Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and Employer Group risk membership.”

Elevance ended the quarter with 44.9 million health plan members, which was down 1.5% compared to 45.6 million in the year-ago quarter.

15.7.2026 15:14, ELV

Americká zdravotní pojišťovna Elevance Health zveřejnila výsledky hospodaření za druhý kvartál roku 2026. Očištěný zisk na akcii ve výši 7,45 USD překonal průměrný analytický odhad 6,18 USD. Společnost zároveň zvýšila celoroční výhled tohoto ukazatele na minimálně 27,00 USD. Zvýšení výhledu však podle analytiků zaostalo za rozsahem překonání odhadů ve čtvrtletí a nenaplnilo vysoká očekávání investorů.

Výsledky společnosti Elevance Health (ELV) za 2Q 2026   2Q 2026 Konsensus 2Q 2026 2Q 2025 Výnosy (mld. USD) 49,83 48,75 49,42 Čistý zisk (mld. USD) 1,46 --  1,74 Očištěný zisk na akcii (EPS, USD/akcie) 7,45* 6,18 8,84 *Výsledek na úrovni zisku byl podpořen příznivým vývojem nákladů na zdravotní péči a čistým přínosem položek pod provozní úrovní ve výši přibližně 0,80 USD na akcii, mimo jiné díky vyšším výnosům z investic.

Výsledky za 2Q Provozní výnosy meziročně vzrostly o 0,8 % na 49,83 mld. USD. Výnosy se dají rozdělit následovně:

Předepsané pojistné meziročně stagnovalo na 41,28 mld. USD, nicméně překonalo konsensus ve výši 39,88 mld. USD. Výnosy z prodeje produktů vzrostly o 3,7 % na 6,26 mld. USD, mírně pod odhadem 6,34 mld. USD. Poplatky za služby zaznamenaly růst o 8,3 % na 2,28 mld. USD při očekávání 2,24 mld. USD.

Výnosy pojišťovacího segmentu Health Benefits vzrostly o 2,7 % na 42,72 mld. USD při očekávání 41,1 mld. USD. Provozní zisk segmentu však meziročně klesl o 42,6 % na 896 mil. USD a nedosáhl odhadu 1,04 mld. USD. Provozní marže segmentu činila 2,1 % oproti 3,8 % před rokem, přičemž trh očekával 2,37 %. Pokles ziskovosti odráží vyšší náklady na zdravotní péči a cílené investice.

Výnosy segmentu Carelon, který zahrnuje lékárenské a zdravotnické služby, vzrostly o 6 % na 19,2 mld. USD:

Divize CarelonRx zaznamenala růst o 5,7 % na 11,25 mld. USD při konsensu 10,73 mld. USD. Divize Carelon Services vykázala růst o 7,2 % na 7,98 mld. USD, což bylo nad očekáváním 7,46 mld. USD. Podíl nákladů na zdravotní péči meziročně vzrostl o 80 bazických bodů na 89,7 %, byl však pod odhadem trhu ve výši 90,1 %. Růst byl způsoben očekávanými zvýšenými náklady na zdravotní péči ve vládních programech, částečně kompenzovanými zlepšenou výkonností v individuálním pojištění ACA.

Počet zdravotně pojištěných osob meziročně klesl o 1,5 % na 44,95 mil., mírně pod odhadem 44,98 mil.

Výhled na rok 2026 Společnost zvýšila výhled na celý rok 2026 a nyní očekává očištěný zisk na akcii minimálně 27,00 USD, zatímco dříve počítala s hodnotou minimálně 26,75 USD. Konsensus trhu činil 26,85 USD.

Komentář CEO „Naše výsledky za druhý kvartál překonaly náš výhled, podpořeny disciplinovanou realizací a zlepšenou provozní výkonností napříč naším diverzifikovaným portfoliem. Zvyšujeme náš výhled očištěného zisku na akcii pro rok 2026 na minimálně 27,00 USD a urychlujeme cílené investice do klíčových oblastí, na kterých záleží nejvíce: řízení nákladů na zdravotní péči, zkušenost členů, propojení s poskytovateli péče, provozní efektivita a řešení společnosti Carelon založená na hodnotě. Tyto kroky posílí způsob našeho fungování, zlepší naši dlouhodobou konzistentnost a upevní naše přesvědčení o návratu k minimálně 12% růstu očištěného zisku na akcii v roce 2027 v porovnání s výchozí základnou zisků z roku 2026,“ uvedla generální ředitelka Gail K. Boudreaux.

Pohledy analytiků Analytik David Windley z Jefferies uvedl, že vzhledem k růstu akcií zdravotních pojišťoven od prvního čtvrtletí trhu pravděpodobně nebude stačit jen mírné překonání odhadů a mírné zvýšení výhledu. Poznamenal také, že vedení označuje vývoj nákladů v programu Medicaid za odpovídající obezřetnému celoročnímu výhledu, zdá se však, že tento vývoj částečně vymazal pozitivní překvapení v Medicare Advantage a individuálním pojištění.

Analytik Whit Mayo z Leerinku hodnotí výsledky za druhý kvartál jako solidní, přišly však s menším pozitivním překvapením u podílu nákladů na zdravotní péči, než trh očekával, a se slabšími výsledky segmentu Carelon. Překonání odhadů u zisku na akcii bylo podle něj podpořeno vyššími výnosy z investic a jednorázovými přínosy. Vzhledem k předchozímu růstu akcie považuje dnešní pokles za opodstatněný.

Analytik Andrew Mok z Barclays uvedl, že ačkoli se výsledky vyvíjejí pozitivně, společnost nepřinesla žádnou dodatečnou pozitivní zprávu ohledně programu Medicaid. Zvýšení výhledu zisku na akcii podle něj zaostalo za očekáváními.

Analytička Elizabeth Anderson z Evercore ISI poznamenala, že zisk segmentu Health Benefits byl v kvartále slabší kvůli investicím do růstu. Očekávání před zveřejněním výsledků byla podle ní vysoká a podíl nákladů na zdravotní péči mírně zaostal za očekáváními investorů, kteří počítali s překonáním konsensu o zhruba 30 a více bazických bodů.

Akcie Elevance Health Akcie Elevance Health (ELV) v předburzovní fázi obchodování oslabují o 7,45 % na 395 USD.

Akcie Elevance Health (ELV) před výsledky na 426,79 USD Ukazatel   Ukazatel   Kapitalizace (mld. USD) 92,7 P/E 17,5 Vývoj za letošní rok (%) +21,7 Očekávané P/E 15,9 52týdenní minimum (USD) 273,7 Prům. cílová cena (USD) 439,5 52týdenní maximum (USD) 436,2 Dividendový výnos (%) 1,6 Zdroj: Elevance Health, Bloomberg

Michal Bárta, Fio banka, a.s.

Elevance Health President and CEO Gail Boudreaux listens during a House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing examining health insurance affordability and healthcare costs in... Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Read more

CompaniesJuly 15 (Reuters) - Elevance Health (ELV.N), opens new tab ​raised its annual profit forecast after beating second-quarter ‌earnings estimates on Wednesday, as it looks to keep medical costs in check.

In April, the company said it has greater ​clarity on medical costs for the rest ​of the year as it leans on its ⁠efforts to keep them under control.

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"Our second quarter ​results exceeded our outlook," Chief Executive Officer Gail ​Boudreaux said.

Elevance, which has greater exposure to commercial insurance and Medicaid plans for low-income Americans, has been withdrawing from underperforming ​Medicare Advantage markets for older adults.

Higher demand for ​healthcare services among members of government-funded plans has increased medical ‌expenses ⁠for health insurers.

For the quarter, the company reported a medical loss ratio, the percentage of premiums spent on medical care, of 89.7%. Analysts on average ​had expected ​a ratio ⁠of 90.15%, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The health insurer forecast annual adjusted ​profit to be at least $27 per share, ​compared ⁠with at least $26.75 per share projected earlier.

Analysts on average estimate an annual profit of $26.86 per share.

The company ⁠posted ​a quarterly adjusted profit of $7.45 ​per share, surpassing analysts' average estimate of $6.21.

Reporting by Sriparna Roy and ​Sneha S K in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Key Takeaways Elevance is likely to see Q2 EPS of $6.18 on $48.45B in revenues, with both projected to decline.ELV may face pressure from lower premiums, membership declines and weaker Health Benefits results.Elevance's higher benefit expense ratio could weigh on profitability in the quarter. Elevance Health, Inc. (ELV - Free Report) is set to report its second-quarter 2026 results on July 15, 2026, before the opening bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter’s earnings is currently pegged at $6.18 per shareon revenues of $48.45 billion.

The second-quarter earnings estimate witnessed one downward revision and no upward revisions over the past 60 days. The bottom-line projection indicates a year-over-year decline of 30.1%. Also, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues implies a year-over-year decrease of 2%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

For 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Elevance’s revenues is pegged at $194.24 billion, implying a fall of 1.7% year over year. The consensus mark for 2026 EPS is pegged at $26.86, indicating an 11.3% year-over-year decrease.

Elevance’s earnings beat the consensus estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 10.6%. This is depicted in the figure below.

Q2 Earnings Whispers for ElevanceOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for the company this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is not the case here.

ELV currently has an Earnings ESP of -0.42% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

What’s Shaping Elevance’s Q2 Results?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for product revenues indicates 4.7% growth from the year-ago period’s $6.04 billion. However, the consensus estimate for premiums indicates a 3.3% decrease from the year-ago period.

The consensus mark for Commercial Individual membership implies 10% fall from a year ago, while our model estimate indicates a 12.2% decline. Also, declining memberships in Medicaid (-5.8%) are likely to have kept second-quarter performance in check. However, the consensus estimate for Commercial Fee-based memberships indicates 1.9% year-over-year growth.

Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Carelon brand’s operating income for the second quarter indicates a 3.8% year-over-year decrease. The consensus estimate for the Health Benefits segment’s operating income for the second quarter indicates a 34.7% year-over-year plunge, making an earnings beat uncertain.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the benefit expense ratio is pegged at 89.4, higher than the year-ago level of 88.9, which could further weigh on profitability during the quarter.

Stocks That Warrant a LookWhile an earnings beat looks uncertain for Elevance, here are some companies from the broader Medical space that you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this time around:

ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. (PMN - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +13.30% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ProMIS’ bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter of a loss of $1.45 indicates 80% year-over-year improvement. It has witnessed one upward revision against no downward movement over the past 60 days.

Alcon Inc. (ALC - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.83% and a Zacks Rank of 2.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Alcon’s bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter indicates 1.3% increase from a year ago. The company’s earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with an average surprise of 3.7%. The consensus estimate for ALC’s revenues is pegged at $2.77 billion, signaling 7.3% increase.

Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.24% and a Zacks Rank of 2.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cardinal Health’s bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter predicts 16.4% year-over-year growth. Its earnings beat estimates in each of the past four quarters, with an average surprise of 10.3%. CAH’s revenues for the to-be-reported quarter are pegged at $65.61 billion, a 9.1% increase from the year-ago period.

This week’s Elevance Health and UnitedHealth Group quarterly earnings are much anticipated for signs these companies’ health insurance businesses and their rivals are keeping a handle on rising costs. In this photo, UnitedHealthcare health insurance company signage is displayed on an office building in Phoenix, Arizona on July 19, 2023. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

This week’s Elevance Health and UnitedHealth Group quarterly earnings are much anticipated for signs these companies’ health insurance businesses and that of their rivals are keeping a handle on rising costs.

Elevance, which owns Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in 14 states, and UnitedHealth, which owns the nation’s largest health insurer in UnitedHealthcare, will be the first health insurers to report second quarter earnings as the industry works to exit a period of higher-than-expected medical costs.

These insurers’ earnings reports report will offer clues as to whether the sector may finally be turning the corner after most health plans reported medical loss ratios north of 90% until the trend was interrupted with lower costs in the first quarter of this year. Such a ratio, which is the percentage of premium revenue that goes toward medical costs, was above 90% for much of 2025 for many insurers.

In the first quarter of this year, however, Elevance, which is the nation’s second-largest health insurer behind UnitedHealthcare, reported a benefit expense ratio eclipsing 86%. Elevance manages Medicaid coverage for poor Americans via contracts with multiple states, sells Medicare Advantage for older adults and markets commercial health insurance including individual coverage under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The company also has a growing Carelon healthcare services business.

“The benefit expense ratio was 86.8 percent, an increase of 40 basis points, reflecting expected elevated medical cost trend in our Medicaid business, partially offset by improved performance in Medicare,” Elevance Health said in its first quarter earnings statement.

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Analysts who follow the industry say they expect second quarter earnings reports to show that companies have maintained their handle on medical cost trends, particularly in their Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare Advantage plans contract with the federal government to provide coverage available in traditional Medicare plus extra benefits and services to seniors, such as disease management and nurse help hotlines with some also offering vision, dental care and wellness programs.

UnitedHealth said in its first quarter report that its “medical cost ratio was 83.9% for the first quarter 2026, down 90 basis points from the first quarter 2025.”

Elevance reports Wednesday, July 15 and UnitedHealth reports Thursday, July 16.

Elevance Health has outperformed the benchmark, rising 28% versus 11%, and I see further upside potential. ELV demonstrates steady top- and bottom-line growth, supporting a premium multiple and reinforcing management confidence. The insurance market's steady growth is a structural tailwind; if ELV maintains market share, it stands to benefit.

In its upcoming report, Elevance Health (ELV - Free Report) is predicted by Wall Street analysts to post quarterly earnings of $6.18 per share, reflecting a decline of 30.1% compared to the same period last year. Revenues are forecasted to be $48.45 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 2%.

The current level reflects a downward revision of 0.1% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter over the past 30 days. This demonstrates how the analysts covering the stock have collectively reappraised their initial projections over this period.

Prior to a company's earnings announcement, it is crucial to consider revisions to earnings estimates. This serves as a significant indicator for predicting potential investor actions regarding the stock. Empirical research has consistently demonstrated a robust correlation between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.

While it's common for investors to rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates for assessing how the business may have performed during the quarter, exploring analysts' forecasts for key metrics can yield valuable insights.

That said, let's delve into the average estimates of some Elevance Health metrics that Wall Street analysts commonly model and monitor.

Analysts predict that the 'Revenues- Net investment income' will reach $446.85 million. The estimate points to a change of -8.1% from the year-ago quarter.

Analysts' assessment points toward 'Revenues- Service fees' reaching $2.24 billion. The estimate indicates a change of +6% from the prior-year quarter.

The average prediction of analysts places 'Revenues- Premiums' at $39.90 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -3.3%.

The consensus estimate for 'Revenues- Product revenue' stands at $6.32 billion. The estimate suggests a change of +4.7% year over year.

The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Total Medical Membership' will likely reach 44.82 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 45.62 million in the same quarter last year.

Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Medical Membership - Medicare - Medicare Advantage' should arrive at 1.87 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 2.26 million in the same quarter of the previous year.

According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Medical Membership - Medicaid' should come in at 8.23 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 8.73 million in the same quarter last year.

Analysts forecast 'Medical Membership - Federal Employees Health Benefits' to reach 1.56 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 1.64 million in the same quarter of the previous year.

Analysts expect 'Medical Membership - Total Medicare' to come in at 2.75 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 3.13 million in the same quarter of the previous year.

The consensus among analysts is that 'Medical Membership - Commercial Risk-Based - Individual' will reach 1.21 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 1.35 million.

It is projected by analysts that the 'Benefit Expense Ratio' will reach 89.4%. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 88.9%.

The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Medical Membership - Commercial Fee-Based' of 27.68 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 27.15 million in the same quarter of the previous year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Elevance Health here>>>

Elevance Health shares have witnessed a change of +5.3% in the past month, in contrast to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.2% move. With a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), ELV is expected outperform the overall market performance in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Elevance Health (NYSE: ELV) will release second quarter 2026 financial results on July 15, 2026, at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (“EDT”). Management will review these results and its outlook during a conference call at 8:30 a.m. EDT that same morning. The conference call should be accessed at least 15 minutes prior to its start with the following numbers: 888-947-9963 - Access Code - 3972058 (Domestic) 312-470-0178 - Access Code - 3972058 (International) 800-39.

Key Takeaways Elevance Health's Carelon contributes 36.3% of operating revenues, expanding beyond health insurance.ELV said CareBridge cut readmissions 20% and saved over 10% in post-acute care costs.Carelon's Q1 2026 operating gain fell 3.8%, but investments support long-term growth prospects. Carelon is emerging as a key pillar of Elevance Health, Inc.'s (ELV - Free Report) long-term growth strategy as the company expands beyond traditional health insurance. Through its integrated care delivery, pharmacy and care management businesses, Carelon is helping improve clinical outcomes while creating new revenue opportunities. The segment now contributes around 36.3% of Elevance Health's total operating revenues, underscoring its growing role in the company's diversified business model.

The business is also becoming a meaningful driver of operational efficiency. Carelon combines AI, predictive analytics and coordinated care programs to identify high-risk patients earlier and intervene before medical conditions worsen. Its integrated CareBridge and care-at-home platform has reduced hospital readmissions by 20% while generating over 10% savings in post-acute care costs. These capabilities also support higher medication adherence, fewer emergency room visits and improved care coordination, reinforcing Carelon's competitive position.

However, Carelon's first-quarter 2026 operating gain declined 3.8% year over year due to lower affiliated health plan membership and continued investments in expanding risk-based programs. Even so, these investments are laying the foundation for future growth. Specialty pharmacy, CareBridge and integrated medical-pharmacy solutions continue to gain traction, supporting Carelon's long-term growth prospects as employers seek more cost-effective healthcare solutions.

Carelon's growing role complements ELV's broader financial momentum. Operating revenues rose 1.5% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, and the company raised its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to at least $26.75. As Carelon scales its clinical and pharmacy capabilities, it is well positioned to become a key contributor to Elevance Health's earnings growth and competitive advantage.

How Are Competitors Faring?

Some of ELV’s major competitors in the value-based care space are UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH - Free Report) and Humana Inc. (HUM - Free Report) .

UnitedHealth, through its Optum segment, is scaling AI-driven care management, pharmacy and provider solutions to improve care coordination and operational efficiency. Its integrated care model supports value-based reimbursement while diversifying revenues beyond its insurance business. UnitedHealth’s total revenues rose 2% year over year in the first quarter of 2026.

Humana is strengthening its integrated care strategy through CenterWell, which combines primary care, home health and pharmacy services. The company continues expanding value-based care and home-based services, aiming to improve patient outcomes while controlling medical costs. Humana’s total revenues rose 23.5% year over year in the first quarter of 2026.

Elevance Health’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of ELV have risen 12.1% in the year-to-date period against the industry’s fall of 2.9%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, Elevance Health trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 13.85, below the industry average of 15.70. ELV carries a Value Score of A.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Elevance Health’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $26.92 per share, implying an 11.1% drop from the year-ago period.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ELV stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thomas Carr Howe Middle School today celebrated the unveiling of a newly transformed fitness and strength training space made possible through a partnership with Elevance Health and the Impact Fitness Foundation (IFF).

“Strong communities are built when young people have the support and opportunity they need to thrive,” Gail K. Boudreaux, President and Chief Executive Officer of Elevance Health

Share The project marks the fifth consecutive year that Elevance Health and IFF have invested in Indianapolis schools through community fitness initiatives connected to the Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tipoff, a premier collegiate basketball tournament that celebrates the impact of women in sports.

More than 40 Elevance Health volunteers worked alongside representatives from the Impact Fitness Foundation to renovate the school’s fitness and athletic training areas, creating a modern, welcoming environment designed specifically for middle school students. The project included installation of new flooring, fitness equipment, storage systems, and organizational improvements that will support year-round student wellness and athletic development.

But school leaders say the true impact will be measured not by the equipment installed, but by the opportunities it creates.

The renovated facility will serve as the home for expanded strength and conditioning programming, open gym opportunities, and student-athlete development activities throughout the summer and school year. “This space opens the door to opportunities our students simply didn’t have before,” said William Clay, Athletic Director at Thomas Carr Howe Middle School. “We're excited to provide structured strength and conditioning opportunities, create new experiences for our female student-athletes, and help students build habits that support their health, confidence, and success both on and off the field of play.”

The initiative reflects Elevance Health’s commitment to improving whole health by investing in the places where young people live, learn, and play.

“Strong communities are built when young people have the support and opportunity they need to thrive,” said Gail K. Boudreaux, President and Chief Executive Officer of Elevance Health. “Over the past five years, our partnership with the Impact Fitness Foundation and the Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tipoff has helped schools create spaces that promote movement, well-being, and connection. We are proud of the impact we’ve made together and look forward to continuing to empower the next generation to lead healthier, brighter lives.”

The connection to the Women’s Fort Myers Tipoff is especially meaningful this year as Elevance Health and the Impact Fitness Foundation celebrate their fifth year of a partnership dedicated to helping young people thrive through sports and fitness, while advancing the tournament’s commitment to supporting and empowering young women both on and off the court.

“Research consistently shows that girls are more likely to leave sports and organized fitness programs during adolescence,” said Chris Welsh, Founder and President of the Impact Fitness Foundation. “Creating welcoming spaces and intentional programming can make a tremendous difference. We’re excited to see Howe use this facility not only to support athletics, but also to help young people—especially young women—discover confidence, leadership, and a lifelong connection to health and wellness.”

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, coaches, staff members, and student-athletes participated in an instructional clinic led by Impact Fitness Foundation trainers to learn proper equipment use, strength-training fundamentals, and best practices for maintaining the new facility.

About Elevance Health
Elevance Health is a lifetime, trusted health partner whose purpose is to improve the health of humanity. The company supports consumers, families, and communities across the entire healthcare journey – connecting them to the care, support, and resources they need to lead better lives. Elevance Health’s companies serve approximately 105 million consumers through a diverse portfolio of industry-leading medical, pharmacy, behavioral, clinical, home health, and complex care solutions. For more information, please visit www.elevancehealth.com or follow us @ElevanceHealth on X and Elevance Health on LinkedIn.

About Impact Fitness Foundation
The Impact Fitness Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to creating fitness and movement opportunities in underserved communities. Through facility transformations, programming, education, and training, IFF helps individuals of all ages build healthier futures through movement and wellness.

More News From Elevance Health, Inc.

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Elevance Health today announced advancements in how it helps streamline clinical review and create a simpler, faster, and more connected experience for care providers and members through Health OS.

Health OS represents a foundational shift in how we approach clinical review and utilization management - moving from fragmented, manual processes to a connected, intelligent ecosystem.” Ashok Chennuru, Chief Data and Digital Transformation Officer

Share Health OS is Elevance Health’s secure data platform designed to connect health information across electronic health records (EHRs), labs, and health information exchanges, helping support more informed and timely clinical decisions while reducing administrative burden for care providers. By connecting with healthcare data systems, including Epic’s Payer Platform, Health OS helps reduce manual steps and deliver clearer clinical insights.

“Health OS represents a foundational shift in how we approach clinical review and utilization management - moving from fragmented, manual processes to a connected, intelligent ecosystem,” said Ashok Chennuru, Chief Data and Digital Transformation Officer at Elevance Health. “We are enabling faster decisions, reducing administrative burden, and improving the overall care experience by applying advanced analytics and embedding data-driven insights directly into workflows between care providers, payers, and other partners.”

Elevance Health was the first to collaborate with Epic in leveraging the Epic Payer Platform in addressing inpatient concurrent reviews, where payers and providers work together to review care plans during a patient’s hospital stay. These reviews help support appropriate treatment and length-of-stay decisions but have historically relied on manual submission of clinical documentation, often resulting in delays, incomplete information, and additional administrative work.

Early results from health systems using Health OS-enabled workflows demonstrate meaningful improvements:

A 61% reduction in prior authorization denials due to insufficient clinical information Nearly 60% fewer cases designated pending because of the need for additional information Up to a 51% reduction in follow-up reviews, including appeals and peer-to-peer discussions, driven by more complete information upfront Approximately 15 minutes of administrative time saved per case with some health systems Care providers report a more transparent and efficient process, with fewer documentation requests, faster alignment on care decisions, and more time to focus on patient care Health OS is also transforming prior authorization through electronic prior authorization for medical services by making it part of provider workflows and allowing information to be appropriately and securely shared back and forth between providers and the health plan. This significantly reduces reliance on phone, fax, and paper submissions, while improving speed and consistency.

With more than 30 health systems actively participating in Elevance Health’s program for electronic prior authorization for medical services, results highlight the impact of this approach:

More than 250,000 prior authorization requests for medical services processed in 2026 through end of April Of these, more than 42% of decisions completed in one minute or less For providers, this means reduced administrative burden and a more intuitive, streamlined experience that aligns with existing workflows. For members, it translates to faster access to approved treatments and a more predictable care journey.

“Much of the waste and complexity in healthcare could be reduced by simply making the right information available to the right stakeholders,” said Alan Hutchison, Vice President at Epic. “Through our work with Elevance Health, Epic’s Payer Platform has enabled meaningful reductions in administrative burden with measurable reductions in denials, peer-to-peer reviews, and appeals. This means less work for providers and faster access to care for patients.”

Elevance Health is focused on expanding its capabilities, advancing a future where utilization management is faster, simpler, and more aligned with patient care. Health OS reflects Elevance Health’s broader commitment to simplifying the healthcare experience for consumers and helping to improve health outcomes.

About Elevance Health

Elevance Health is a lifetime, trusted health partner whose purpose is to improve the health of humanity. The company supports consumers, families, and communities across the entire healthcare journey – connecting them to the care, support, and resources they need to lead better lives. Elevance Health’s companies serve approximately 105 million consumers through a diverse portfolio of industry-leading medical, pharmacy, behavioral, clinical, home health, and complex care solutions. For more information, please visit www.elevancehealth.com or follow us @ElevanceHealth on X and Elevance Health on LinkedIn.

More News From Elevance Health, Inc.

Strategic investments support more than 40,000 housing units and advance whole health outcomes for communities across the country

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Elevance Health (NYSE: ELV) today announced it has invested $640 million in affordable housing over the past five years, building on more than $1 billion invested over nearly two decades. These investments reflect the company’s continued commitment to addressing social drivers of health, helping lower the total cost of care, and expanding access to safe, stable, and affordable housing.

“Access to safe and stable housing is fundamental to improving health outcomes and building stronger communities,” said Aimée K. Dailey, president of Government Health Benefits at Elevance Health.

ShareOver the past five years, Elevance Health has invested $640 million across 15 properties, supporting the development of 2,654 affordable housing units, including apartment homes, townhomes, and single-family residences, across 10 states. In total, the company has invested more than $1 billion across approximately 400 properties, supporting more than 40,000 housing units in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

“Access to safe and stable housing is fundamental to improving health outcomes and building stronger communities,” said Aimée K. Dailey, president of Government Health Benefits at Elevance Health. “Our continued investment reflects a long-term commitment to addressing the underlying factors that impact overall health. By focusing on high-impact housing initiatives and strong local partnerships, we are helping individuals and families achieve stability, improve their health, reduce avoidable healthcare costs, and create a foundation for long-term wellbeing.”

A National Commitment to Whole Health and Medicaid Populations

Housing instability remains one of the most pressing challenges impacting health outcomes across the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, more than 653,000 people experienced homelessness in 2023, including families with children, reflecting the growing housing challenges facing communities nationwide. For many individuals, the lack of stable housing creates significant barriers to accessing care and managing health conditions.

Elevance Health’s approach is grounded in its whole health strategy, which recognizes that social and environmental factors play a significant role in health outcomes. Housing is one of the most critical of these factors, particularly for Medicaid populations.

Internal analysis of Elevance Health-affiliated Medicaid plan members with high healthcare utilization found that 43 percent of members with more than 50 emergency room visits per year were experiencing homelessness. This underscores the direct connection between housing instability and avoidable healthcare utilization.

By investing in affordable housing and supportive services, Elevance Health is helping to address these challenges early and support better outcomes for the individuals and communities it serves.

These investments reflect an evolution toward more targeted, high-impact housing developments that enable deeper community partnerships and more measurable outcomes at the local level.

Expanding Access to Stable Housing for Vulnerable Populations

Affordable housing plays a critical role in supporting low- to moderate-income individuals and families, including seniors, people with disabilities, and individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. These developments are typically designed for households earning 80 percent or less of the area median income and help ensure residents spend no more than 30 percent of their income on housing, reducing financial strain and improving overall stability.

Elevance Health’s investments are designed to support populations with complex needs, including individuals living with intellectual and or developmental disabilities, seniors on fixed incomes, and families facing housing insecurity.

Stable housing is closely linked to improved health outcomes. Individuals with access to affordable housing are more likely to experience fewer potentially costly emergency room visits and hospitalizations, better manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and hypertension, maintain consistent access to preventive and primary care, and achieve improved mental health outcomes.

Conversely, housing instability is associated with higher rates of chronic illness, increased healthcare utilization, and poorer overall health outcomes. Even frequent moves can negatively impact health. Children who move multiple times within a year are more likely to experience chronic conditions and disruptions in care.

Delivering Innovative, Community-Based Housing Solutions

Elevance Health works through its affiliated health plans to connect members to housing resources and services that help prevent homelessness and support long-term stability.

Across its Medicaid plans, Elevance Health supports housing programs that address barriers such as past-due rent, utility costs, and move-in expenses. Flexible funding programs help members remain housed by covering essential needs such as security deposits, overdue rent, and utility bills. These programs also connect members with housing coordinators who work directly with individuals and families to identify solutions and navigate available resources.

In one example, flexible housing support programs have assisted approximately 1,500 households across multiple states by helping cover rent, utilities, and other essential housing-related expenses.

Elevance Health also collaborates with community-based organizations, housing authorities, and local partners to help members access housing vouchers, prevent evictions, and secure stable housing that meets their needs. These partnerships are critical to ensuring that housing solutions are tailored to the unique needs of each community.

Integrating Health and Community-Based Support

In addition to supporting housing development, Elevance Health works to integrate health and social support services within communities wherever possible.

In select markets, this includes access to healthcare and wellness programs, care coordination for individuals with complex needs, behavioral health support, and connections to food, transportation, and other essential services.

These efforts help remove barriers to care and support individuals in managing their health more effectively. Programs that combine housing support with health and social services have demonstrated strong outcomes. In one state-based program, more than 90 percent of participating members maintained stable housing six months after receiving support.

“Affordable housing is a critical foundation for improving quality of life and strengthening communities,” said Dr. Adrienne McFadden, chief medical officer of Government Health Benefits at Elevance Health. “By working alongside community partners and aligning housing with health services, we are helping to create sustainable solutions that improve outcomes and support long-term stability.”

Looking Ahead

Elevance Health’s investments in affordable housing directly support state and community priorities, including improving population health and reducing avoidable healthcare costs.

The company and its affiliated health plans will continue to expand its affordable housing efforts across the country, aligning investments with community needs and opportunities to improve health outcomes at scale. Through this work, the company remains focused on building healthier communities and advancing its mission to improve lives and make healthcare simpler.

About Elevance Health

Elevance Health is a lifetime, trusted health partner whose purpose is to improve the health of humanity. The company supports consumers, families, and communities across the entire healthcare journey – connecting them to the care, support, and resources they need to lead better lives. Elevance Health’s companies serve approximately 105 million consumers through a diverse portfolio of industry-leading medical, pharmacy, behavioral, clinical, home health, and complex care solutions. For more information, please visit www.elevancehealth.com or follow us @ElevanceHealth on X and Elevance Health on LinkedIn.

More News From Elevance Health, Inc.

Elevance Health (ELV - Free Report) appears an attractive pick, as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This rating change essentially reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.

The Zacks rating relies solely on a company's changing earnings picture. It tracks EPS estimates for the current and following years from the sell-side analysts covering the stock through a consensus measure -- the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

Individual investors often find it hard to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, since these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time. In these situations, the Zacks rating system comes in handy because of the power of a changing earnings picture in determining near-term stock price movements.

As such, the Zacks rating upgrade for Elevance Health is essentially a positive comment on its earnings outlook that could have a favorable impact on its stock price.

Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, and the near-term price movement of its stock are proven to be strongly correlated. The influence of institutional investors has a partial contribution to this relationship, as these big professionals use earnings and earnings estimates to calculate the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their bulk investment action then leads to price movement for the stock.

For Elevance Health, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade fundamentally mean an improvement in the company's underlying business. And investors' appreciation of this improving business trend should push the stock higher.

Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsAs empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, tracking such revisions for making an investment decision could be truly rewarding. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.

The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Earnings Estimate Revisions for Elevance HealthThis health insurer is expected to earn $26.78 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2026, which represents no year-over-year change.

Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Elevance Health. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 4.1%.

Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.

You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>

The upgrade of Elevance Health to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Across the country, three in four adults are living with at least one chronic condition. Elevance Health is helping people manage chronic conditions by creating more personalized, connected experiences that make it easier to understand care, stay on track, and know what to do next. Elevance Health is working to simplify that experience by using data, digital tools, and proactive outreach to connect the people it serves to the support they need when they need it, t.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 29th, 2026

Comerica Bank lessened its holdings in Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV – Free Report) by 6.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 34,056 shares of the company’s stock after selling 2,331 shares during the period. Comerica Bank’s holdings in Elevance Health were worth $11,938,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of ELV. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its position in Elevance Health by 331.6% in the third quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 82 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. Activest Wealth Management grew its position in Elevance Health by 66.7% in the third quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 85 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Rossby Financial LCC grew its position in Elevance Health by 110.0% in the third quarter. Rossby Financial LCC now owns 84 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. Motco grew its position in Elevance Health by 334.8% in the third quarter. Motco now owns 100 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC grew its position in Elevance Health by 431.8% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 117 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 95 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.24% of the company’s stock.

Elevance Health Stock Performance NYSE:ELV opened at $362.66 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $78.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 0.49. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $309.52 and its 200-day moving average is $331.28. Elevance Health, Inc. has a 1-year low of $273.71 and a 1-year high of $424.24.

Elevance Health (NYSE:ELV – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The company reported $12.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $10.74 by $1.84. The company had revenue of $49.49 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $48.21 billion. Elevance Health had a return on equity of 15.58% and a net margin of 2.62%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $11.97 earnings per share. Elevance Health has set its FY 2026 guidance at 19.850- EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Elevance Health, Inc. will post 26.79 earnings per share for the current year.

Elevance Health Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 25th. Investors of record on Wednesday, June 10th will be paid a $1.72 dividend. This represents a $6.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 10th. Elevance Health’s payout ratio is currently 29.26%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have issued reports on ELV. Royal Bank Of Canada cut Elevance Health from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and set a $358.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Weiss Ratings upgraded Elevance Health from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Friday. Leerink Partners set a $364.00 price target on Elevance Health in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on Elevance Health from $317.00 to $331.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Finally, Truist Financial reduced their price target on Elevance Health from $390.00 to $375.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 13th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $381.16.

Read Our Latest Research Report on ELV

Elevance Health Profile (Free Report)

Elevance Health, Inc (NYSE: ELV) is a large U.S.-based health benefits company that provides a broad range of health insurance products and related services. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the company rebranded from Anthem, Inc to Elevance Health in 2022 while continuing to operate consumer-facing health plans under established state and national brands. Gail Boudreaux serves as chief executive officer and president, leading the company’s strategic focus on integrated health care and benefit delivery.

Elevance’s core activities include offering medical and specialty health plans for individuals, employers and government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid managed-care products.

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Annual program honors practices delivering highest quality care and exceptional patient experience in Elevance Health’s affiliated health plans across the country

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Elevance Health, along with its affiliated health plans, today announced 45 distinguished medical practices and health systems to be honored in its annual Care Provider Recognition Program. The program spotlights the top one percent of primary care providers in Elevance Health’s nationwide affiliated health plan network of about 7,200 value-based care and evaluated provider partners.

The program spotlights the top one percent of primary care providers in Elevance Health’s nationwide affiliated health plan network of about 7,200 value-based care and evaluated provider partners.

Share The recognition highlights primary care providers who exhibit excellence in delivering high-quality, coordinated care for members across Elevance Health affiliated employer-sponsored, Medicaid, and Medicare Advantage health plans. Selections are based on key performance measures, including preventive care screenings, immunization rates, chronic disease management, and medication adherence, as well as a strong commitment to continuous learning and clinical excellence.

“This program recognizes primary care providers, the quarterbacks of our healthcare system, who are leading the way by delivering coordinated, personalized care that enhances the lives of patients by improving quality and outcomes,” said Dr. Catherine Gaffigan, President of Health Solutions at Elevance Health. “These primary care providers are delivering measurably superior preventive care and care coordination while displaying exceptional commitment to meeting the unique needs of patients and the communities they serve.”

The Care Provider Recognition Program honorees are:

California: Cedars-Sinai Seoul Medical Group Southland Advantage Medical Group Sutter Health Colorado: OnPoint Medical Group Connecticut: Connecticut Children's Care Network Florida: Vaconcello-Cohen MD Georgia: Center for Primary Care Health Partners Network Peds Care, P.C. Kentucky: Family Practice Associates of Lexington Scott A. Young, MD VillageMD Maryland: Hashim S. Hashim, MD Maine: InterMed New Hampshire: Ammonoosuc Community Health Services North Country Primary Care New York: Charles B. Wang Community Health Center Saratoga Hospital Summit Health WestMed Medical Group Zvi M. Eckstein, MD, PC Ohio: Central Ohio Primary Care Community Health Care, Inc. Family Health Services of Darke County Integrated Health Collaborative Pioneer Physicians Network Primary Care Internists, Inc. Tennessee: Pediatric Partners of Nashville Texas: Accent Family Health Care Leon Pediatrics of Arlington and Midlothian Virginia: AAA Pediatrics Charlottesville Internal Medicine Fortify Children's Health Franconia Pediatrics Gloti Rodriguez, MD Hispanic American Pediatric Associates medicsUSA Metropolitan Pediatrics Pediatric Associates of Springfield Sacoto Pediatrics Van Dorn Pediatrics Virginia Care Partners Wisconsin: Associated Physicians OakLeaf Clinics SSM Health Monroe Clinic Medical Group Learn more about the honorees and the Care Provider Recognition Program.

About Elevance Health

Elevance Health is a lifetime, trusted health partner whose purpose is to improve the health of humanity. The company supports consumers, families, and communities across the entire healthcare journey – connecting them to the care, support, and resources they need to lead better lives. Elevance Health’s companies serve approximately 104 million consumers through a diverse portfolio of industry-leading medical, pharmacy, behavioral, clinical, home health, and complex care solutions. For more information, please visit www.elevancehealth.com or follow us @ElevanceHealth on X and Elevance Health on LinkedIn.

More News From Elevance Health, Inc.

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Major health insurers appear to be off to an encouraging start this year — but a crucial test for the sector is still ahead.

Solid first-quarter results have helped lift investor sentiment, even as insurers continue to grapple with higher medical costs. Companies including UnitedHealth, Elevance, Cigna and Humana all beat estimates for the quarter, with some hiking their 2026 outlooks. 

Those results were largely expected due to seasonal factors such as a milder flu season and weather disruptions that temporarily suppressed medical costs, said Barclays analyst Andrew Mok. A more meaningful signal, Mok said, is that insurers strengthened medical reserves — money set aside to pay future claims — adding a cushion that could support their outlooks.

But there's still a "huge caveat," according to Baird analyst Michael Ha.

Insurers have incomplete data on medical costs in the first quarter due to a lag in claims processing, as expenses like hospital stays and procedures can take one or two months to be fully reviewed and reimbursed. By the end of the quarter, companies may only have "real hard claims data" from January, so "we always tell investors to take the first quarter with a grain of salt," Ha said. 

That sets up the second quarter as the real proving ground. As those delayed claims come in, insurers and investors can get a clearer read on whether medical costs are actually tracking as expected, whether companies have priced their plans appropriately and how their earnings could be shaping up for the rest of the year.

"The second quarter is the real underwriting hurdle to pay attention to as you get more claims data that crystallizes your performance for the year in a bigger way," Ha said. "If you clear that hurdle, that could imply positive earnings implications for 2026."

A solid first quarter Beneath the surface, insurers' stronger start to the year also reflects steps they've taken to rein in costs after two years of significant pressure.

Ha said he attributes the quarterly beats to "conservative pricing" for key plans like Medicare Advantage. Those privately run Medicare plans have been a driving source of runaway medical costs for many insurers, as seniors use more medical services after the pandemic. 

Companies have exited less profitable markets and shrunk membership, while also adjusting pricing and benefits to better align with rising medical expenses, Ha noted. For example, UnitedHealth in October said it will stop offering Medicare Advantage plans in 109 U.S. counties starting in 2026, impacting 180,000 members who had to look for new insurance options.

"Heading into this year, companies came in with a lot of inherent pricing cushion," Ha said. 

Those efforts are beginning to show up in metrics such as medical loss ratios — a key measure of medical costs as a share of premiums — which came in lower than the Street had expected for several companies in the first quarter. 

Barclays' Mok noted that first-quarter results were supported by strength across all major segments. In commercial coverage, higher premiums helped offset rising medical costs, while offering fewer benefits boosted Medicare performance, he said

Mok also said improved cost controls and stabilizing medical costs contributed to "surprisingly solid results" in Medicaid. He called that an "encouraging sign," even as states tighten eligibility and Medicaid enrollment shrinks.

Still, the industry isn't out of the woods yet. 

Key test in the second quarterThe question is whether those improvements will hold as more complete data comes in during the second quarter. 

Because of the lag in medical claims processing, insurers rely more heavily on estimates when reporting first-quarter results. Companies receive more medical claims by the second quarter, giving them a clearer read on underlying cost trends. 

"Seeing how those claims develop into the second quarter will really help you understand whether you've priced your plans correctly," Mok said. 

Ha said the second quarter will be especially key for Humana, which expects Medicare Advantage membership to grow 25% in 2026 while keeping benefits stable.

He said CVS Health followed a similar pattern in the second quarter of 2024, growing Medicare Advantage membership while maintaining benefits. But the company later missed its medical loss ratio targets by a wide margin as costs came in higher than expected.

While CVS is not a direct comparison, Ha said a repeat of its disappointing results has become a potential concern heading into Humana's second-quarter results.

The Affordable Care Act marketplace is also closely watched in the second quarter for insurers like Centene, Molina and Elevance, Ha added. A key data point is the Wakely analysis, released in late June, which helps determine whether insurers' revenue assumptions match the actual health risk profile of enrolled members, he said. 

Even small shifts in enrollment or member health can lead to meaningful earnings gains or losses, Ha added. 

Investors will be watching medical loss ratios closely, along with any changes to full-year outlooks as second-quarter results come in.

For now, insurers are benefiting from a favorable setup, but the coming months will determine whether that momentum is sustainable.

On May 12, 2026, we present a DCF analysis for Elevance Health Inc ELV , a company currently trading at $381.75. The stock has shown mixed performance, with a year-to-date increase of 8.5% but a decline of 6.4% over the past year. Below are key highlights from our analysis:

DCF Earnings-based intrinsic value of $643.27 compared to the current price of $381.75, indicating a margin of safety of 40.7%. DCF Free Cash Flow (FCF)-based intrinsic value of $396.68, suggesting a fair valuation with a margin of safety of 3.8%. GF Score™ of 87/100, indicating a high reliability of the DCF inputs. What Is ELV Worth? DCF Earnings-Based Model The DCF earnings-based model for Elevance Health Inc is based on a two-stage growth approach. In the first stage, we assume a robust growth rate of 14.0% for the next 10 years, followed by a terminal growth rate of 4% for the subsequent 10 years. The discount rate used for this analysis is 11%, which is derived from the risk-free rate and equity risk premium.

Parameter Value Current EPS (TTM, excl. non-recurring) $30.78 10-Year Growth Rate 14.0% 10-Year Treasury Rate 4.33% Discount Rate (ceil(Treasury) + 6%) 11% Terminal Growth Rate 4% The calculation summary for the two-stage model is as follows:

Stage Description Value Growth Stage (Years 1-10) EPS growing at 14.0%, discounted at 11% $357.47 Terminal Stage (Years 11-20) 4% terminal growth, discounted at 11% $285.80 Intrinsic Value Growth + Terminal $643.27 The current price of $381.75 compared to the intrinsic value of $643.27 indicates that the stock is significantly undervalued, with a margin of safety of 40.7%. It is important to note that GuruFocus uses EPS without non-recurring items because research shows stock prices correlate more closely with earnings than free cash flow. For further details, you can visit the ELV DCF Calculator.

What Does the Free Cash Flow DCF Say? The Free Cash Flow (FCF)-based intrinsic value for Elevance Health Inc is calculated at $396.68. When comparing this with the earnings-based intrinsic value of $643.27, the two models provide differing perspectives on valuation. The FCF model suggests that ELV is fair valued with a margin of safety of 3.8%, indicating a more cautious outlook compared to the earnings-based model.

How Does GF Value™ Compare to the DCF Models? The GF Value™ for Elevance Health Inc is calculated at $518.29, providing a third perspective on the company's valuation. GF Value™ is GuruFocus' proprietary measure derived from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. While the DCF earnings model indicates significant undervaluation, the FCF model suggests fair valuation, and the GF Value™ also indicates undervaluation. This shows a consensus among the models that ELV is undervalued overall. For more information, visit the GF Value™ page.

What Does ELV's GF Score™ Tell Us? The GF Score™ ranks stocks from 0 to 100 based on five key aspects: Financial Strength, Profitability, Growth, Valuation, and Momentum. Stocks with higher GF Score™ values have been found to generate higher long-term returns based on backtested data from 2006 to 2021.

Metric Rating GF Score™ 87/100 Financial Strength 5/10 Profitability 8/10 Growth 9/10 Valuation 8/10 Momentum 4/10 The predictability rank is 2/5 stars, indicating that the DCF model may be less reliable for this stock due to its lower predictability. For more details, visit the ELV stock page.

Key Assumptions and Limitations It is important to note that DCF models are highly sensitive to growth rate and discount rate assumptions. Stocks with low predictability ratings, such as Elevance Health Inc, produce less reliable DCF estimates. The terminal growth rate of 4% is a simplifying assumption that may not reflect future economic conditions accurately.

What This Means for Investors In summary, the three valuation models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—provide a comprehensive view of Elevance Health Inc's valuation. The earnings-based model suggests significant undervaluation, while the FCF model indicates fair valuation. The GF Value™ also points to undervaluation, suggesting a consensus among the models that ELV is undervalued.

For the full DCF analysis, visit the ELV DCF Calculator. You can also explore the GF Value™ page, or use the GuruFocus Stock Screener to find undervalued predictable companies.

Frequently Asked Questions What is ELV's intrinsic value based on DCF?

Answer: earnings-based $643.28, FCF-based $396.68

Is ELV overvalued or undervalued?

Answer: Based on the DCF and GF Value™ consensus, ELV is undervalued.

How reliable is the DCF model for ELV?

Answer: The predictability rank of 2/5 indicates that the DCF model may be less reliable for ELV.

This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].