We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time, and you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties. You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
eHealth Incurs Q3 Loss on Lower Commissions, Shares Down 6.1%
Read MoreHide Full Article
eHealth, Inc.’s (EHTH - Free Report) shares lost 6.1% since it reported third-quarter results on Nov. 6, 2024. The quarterly results were hurt by lower commissions and other revenues. However, lower expenses and growth in Medicare application volume across agency and carrier-dedicated platforms partially offset the negatives.
EHTH incurred a third-quarter 2024 adjusted loss of $1.86 per share, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.13 per share and the prior-year quarter’s loss of $1.54 per share.
Revenues dipped 9.7% year over year to $58.4 million. The top line outpaced the consensus mark by a whisker.
Stay up-to-date with all quarterly releases: See Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Commissions declined 16% year over year to $48.2 million, lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $48.9 million. Other revenues of $10.2 million climbed 36% year over year but missed the consensus mark of $10.7 million. Medicare submissions grew 22% year over year, mainly due to growth in Medicare Advantage submissions of 26% year over year.
Total operating costs and expenses were $101.6 million, down 2% year over year due to lower general and administrative and technology and content expenses. Interest expenses increased 1% year over year to $2.9 million.
EHTH incurred a net loss of $42.5 million, wider than the prior-year quarter’s loss of $37 million. Adjusted EBITDA was a negative figure of $34.8 million.
Segmental Update
Medicare: The unit recorded revenues of $53.2 million, which declined 4% year over year. Segmental loss totaled $17.9 million against the prior-year figure of $15.3 million. The segment benefited on the back of higher commissions from approved members. Medicare Advantage plan approved members grew 6% from the year-ago period.
Employer and Individual: Revenues from the segment dipped 44% year over year to $5.2 million. Segmental loss of $0.8 million plunged 117% year over year. The segment was hurt by decreased individual and family, small business and ancillary approved members.
Financial Update (as of Sept. 30, 2024)
eHealth exited the third quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $64 million, which declined 44.7% from 2023-end. Total assets of $1 billion fell 10% from the figure at 2023-end.
Long-term debt for the company increased 2.1% to $69.2 million at the third-quarter end from the 2023 level. There was no short-term debt at the third-quarter end.
Total stockholders’ equity of $499.3 million decreased 17.6% from the 2023-end figure.
Net cash used in operations totaled $29.3 million compared with $24.7 million in the prior-year quarter.
2024 View Reiterated
eHealth expects revenues in the range of $470-$495 million, higher than the previous view of $450-$475 million. The midpoint of the revised guidance indicates an improvement of 6.5% from the 2023 figure.
GAAP net loss is projected to be in the range of $36.5-$22 million compared with the earlier view of $40-$20 million.
Adjusted EBITDA is currently anticipated to be in the band of $7.5-$25 million. Operating cash flow is anticipated to be in the range of $(10)-$0 million in 2024.
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share of $1.63, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.2%. The bottom line advanced 3.8% year over year. Consolidated revenues rose 6% year over year to $5.7 billion. The figure also improved 5% on an underlying basis. The top line, however, fell short of the consensus mark by 0.2%.
Marsh & McLennan’s adjusted operating income was $1.19 billion in the third quarter, which grew 12% year over year but missed our estimate of $1.21 billion.
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2024 adjusted net earnings of $2.26 per share, which matched the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The bottom line increased 13% on a year-over-year basis. Total adjusted revenues of $2.7 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.1%. However, the top line improved 11.1% year over year.
EBITDAC grew 14.3% from the prior-year quarter to $808.8 million.
Aon plc (AON - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings of $2.72 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11%. The bottom line advanced 17% year over year. Total revenues of $3.72 billion improved 26% year over year. The top line beat the consensus mark by 0.5%. It consisted of organic revenue growth of 7% and 19% growth from acquisitions.
Revenues are expected to register mid-single-digit or higher organic growth for 2024 and beyond. The company expects the adjusted operating margin to expand in 2024.
Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)
Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.
Image: Bigstock
eHealth Incurs Q3 Loss on Lower Commissions, Shares Down 6.1%
eHealth, Inc.’s (EHTH - Free Report) shares lost 6.1% since it reported third-quarter results on Nov. 6, 2024. The quarterly results were hurt by lower commissions and other revenues. However, lower expenses and growth in Medicare application volume across agency and carrier-dedicated platforms partially offset the negatives.
EHTH incurred a third-quarter 2024 adjusted loss of $1.86 per share, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.13 per share and the prior-year quarter’s loss of $1.54 per share.
Revenues dipped 9.7% year over year to $58.4 million. The top line outpaced the consensus mark by a whisker.
Stay up-to-date with all quarterly releases: See Zacks Earnings Calendar.
eHealth, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
eHealth, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | eHealth, Inc. Quote
Quarterly Operational Update
Commissions declined 16% year over year to $48.2 million, lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $48.9 million. Other revenues of $10.2 million climbed 36% year over year but missed the consensus mark of $10.7 million. Medicare submissions grew 22% year over year, mainly due to growth in Medicare Advantage submissions of 26% year over year.
Total operating costs and expenses were $101.6 million, down 2% year over year due to lower general and administrative and technology and content expenses. Interest expenses increased 1% year over year to $2.9 million.
EHTH incurred a net loss of $42.5 million, wider than the prior-year quarter’s loss of $37 million. Adjusted EBITDA was a negative figure of $34.8 million.
Segmental Update
Medicare: The unit recorded revenues of $53.2 million, which declined 4% year over year. Segmental loss totaled $17.9 million against the prior-year figure of $15.3 million. The segment benefited on the back of higher commissions from approved members. Medicare Advantage plan approved members grew 6% from the year-ago period.
Employer and Individual: Revenues from the segment dipped 44% year over year to $5.2 million. Segmental loss of $0.8 million plunged 117% year over year. The segment was hurt by decreased individual and family, small business and ancillary approved members.
Financial Update (as of Sept. 30, 2024)
eHealth exited the third quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $64 million, which declined 44.7% from 2023-end. Total assets of $1 billion fell 10% from the figure at 2023-end.
Long-term debt for the company increased 2.1% to $69.2 million at the third-quarter end from the 2023 level. There was no short-term debt at the third-quarter end.
Total stockholders’ equity of $499.3 million decreased 17.6% from the 2023-end figure.
Net cash used in operations totaled $29.3 million compared with $24.7 million in the prior-year quarter.
2024 View Reiterated
eHealth expects revenues in the range of $470-$495 million, higher than the previous view of $450-$475 million. The midpoint of the revised guidance indicates an improvement of 6.5% from the 2023 figure.
GAAP net loss is projected to be in the range of $36.5-$22 million compared with the earlier view of $40-$20 million.
Adjusted EBITDA is currently anticipated to be in the band of $7.5-$25 million. Operating cash flow is anticipated to be in the range of $(10)-$0 million in 2024.
Zacks Rank
eHealth currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Other Releases
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share of $1.63, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.2%. The bottom line advanced 3.8% year over year. Consolidated revenues rose 6% year over year to $5.7 billion. The figure also improved 5% on an underlying basis. The top line, however, fell short of the consensus mark by 0.2%.
Marsh & McLennan’s adjusted operating income was $1.19 billion in the third quarter, which grew 12% year over year but missed our estimate of $1.21 billion.
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2024 adjusted net earnings of $2.26 per share, which matched the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The bottom line increased 13% on a year-over-year basis. Total adjusted revenues of $2.7 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.1%. However, the top line improved 11.1% year over year.
EBITDAC grew 14.3% from the prior-year quarter to $808.8 million.
Aon plc (AON - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings of $2.72 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11%. The bottom line advanced 17% year over year. Total revenues of $3.72 billion improved 26% year over year. The top line beat the consensus mark by 0.5%. It consisted of organic revenue growth of 7% and 19% growth from acquisitions.
Revenues are expected to register mid-single-digit or higher organic growth for 2024 and beyond. The company expects the adjusted operating margin to expand in 2024.