Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Humana (HUM) Outpaces Stock Market Gains: What You Should Know

Read MoreHide Full Article

In the latest trading session, Humana (HUM - Free Report) closed at $455.61, marking a +0.93% move from the previous day. This change outpaced the S&P 500's 0.04% gain on the day. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.14%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.03%.

The health insurer's shares have seen a decrease of 6.42% over the last month, not keeping up with the Medical sector's gain of 5.57% and the S&P 500's gain of 5.28%.

Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Humana in its upcoming release. The company is predicted to post an EPS of $2.13, indicating a 31.48% growth compared to the equivalent quarter last year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $25.38 billion, reflecting a 13.12% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.

For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $28.29 per share and a revenue of $102.27 billion, representing changes of +12.08% and +10.12%, respectively, from the prior year.

Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Humana. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the company's business outlook.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed a 0.04% increase. Currently, Humana is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Humana is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 15.96. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 15.96, so one might conclude that Humana is trading at no noticeable deviation comparatively.

One should further note that HUM currently holds a PEG ratio of 1.19. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. The Medical - HMOs industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.13 as trading concluded yesterday.

The Medical - HMOs industry is part of the Medical sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 87, putting it in the top 35% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Humana Inc. (HUM) - free report >>

Published in