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 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.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
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.
Acadia Healthcare Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates on Rising Admissions
Read MoreHide Full Article
Key Takeaways
ACHC beat Q4 earnings and revenue estimates as admissions and patient days increased.
ACHC's same-facility revenues rose 4.4% on 3.1% higher patient days and 2.5% admissions growth.
ACHC sees 2026 revenues of $3.37B-$3.45B and adjusted EBITDA of $575M-$610M.
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC - Free Report) reported adjusted fourth-quarter earnings of 7 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 3 cents. However, the bottom line declined 89% year over year.
Total revenues increased 6.1% year over year to $821.5 million. The top line beat the consensus mark of $799 million.
The better-than-expected quarterly results were driven by increased patient days and revenues per patient day, and higher admissions, which were partially offset by lower average length of stay and higher expenses.
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Same-facility revenues of $792.7 million rose 4.4% year over year and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.4%. The year-over-year improvement was driven by a 3.1% increase in patient days. Admissions grew 2.5% year over year. The average length of stay rose 0.6% year over year and beat the consensus estimate by 0.6%. Revenue per patient day increased 1.3% year over year.
In the overall facility, patient days improved 4.5% year over year, while admissions grew 7.2%. Revenue per patient day increased 1.5% year over year. The average length of stay declined 2.5% year over year.
Total expenses of $2 billion rose from $736.2 million in the prior-year period due to higher salaries, wages and benefits, other operating expenses, supply costs and transaction and legal fees.
Total adjusted EBITDA declined 34.8% year over year to $99.8 million.
Financial Update (as of Dec. 31, 2025)
Acadia Healthcare exited the fourth quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $133.2 million, which increased from $76.3 million at the 2024-end level. It had a leftover capacity of $595 million under its $1 billion revolving credit facility at the fourth-quarter end.
Total assets of $5.5 billion decreased from $6 billion at the end of 2024.
Long-term debt amounted to $2.5 billion, which rose from $1.9 billion as of Dec. 31, 2024. The current portion of long-term debt was $28.4 million.
Total equity of $1.9 billion decreased from the 2024-end level of $3.1 billion.
Net cash provided by operations totaled $131.9 million in 2025 compared with $129.7 million in the prior-year comparable period.
Acadia Healthcare’s Share Repurchase Update
The company bought back shares worth around $50 million in 2025.
ACHC’s Full-Year 2025 Update
Revenues rose 5% year over year in 2025. Adjusted EPS of $2 per share in 2025 declined year over year from $3.30.
Q1 Guidance by ACHC
For the first quarter of 2026, revenues are projected to be between $820 million and $830 million.
Adjusted EBITDA is estimated to be in the range of $130-$137 million.
Acadia Healthcare’s 2026 Outlook
Revenues are projected to be in the range of $3.37 to $3.45 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is estimated to be in the range of $575 to $610 million. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) are predicted to be between $1.30 and $1.55.
Operating cash flows are forecasted in the range of $280 to $320 million. Expansion capital expenditure is expected to be between $140 million and $155 million. Maintenance and IT capital expenditures are expected to be in the range of $115-$125 million.
Management estimates bed additions between 400 and 600 in 2026.
ACHC’s Zacks Rank
ACHC currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
Several companies in the Medical space, including The Cigna Group (CI - Free Report) , UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH - Free Report) and Elevance Health, Inc. (ELV - Free Report) , have already reported their financial results for the December quarter of 2025. Here’s how they had performed:
Cigna reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share of $8.08, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.7%. The bottom line advanced 22% year over year. The results benefited on the back of strong results from its Evernorth Health Services segment, driven by new business and client relationship expansion, Pharmacy Benefit Services’ strength and improved specialty volumes. However, the upside was partly offset by a decline in Cigna’s medical customers following divestitures to Health Care Services Corporation and an elevated expense level.
UnitedHealth reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $2.11, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.09. However, the bottom line fell 69% from the year-ago period. The earnings were aided by growth in commercial fee-based membership and the strength witnessed in Optum Rx. However, UnitedHealth’s elevated medical costs and declining risk-based membership partially offset the positives.
Elevance reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $3.33, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.3%. The bottom line rose 3.1% year over year. The earnings benefited on the back of strong growth in premiums. Segment-wise, the Carelon division posted a robust revenue surge, aided by buyout and scaling risk-based services, while Health Benefits saw increased premium yields and Medicare Advantage membership growth. However, the upside was partly offset by a decline in Elevance’s overall medical membership and an elevated expense level.
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.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
Acadia Healthcare Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates on Rising Admissions
Key Takeaways
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC - Free Report) reported adjusted fourth-quarter earnings of 7 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 3 cents. However, the bottom line declined 89% year over year.
Total revenues increased 6.1% year over year to $821.5 million. The top line beat the consensus mark of $799 million.
The better-than-expected quarterly results were driven by increased patient days and revenues per patient day, and higher admissions, which were partially offset by lower average length of stay and higher expenses.
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. Quote
ACHC’s Q4 Operations
Same-facility revenues of $792.7 million rose 4.4% year over year and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.4%. The year-over-year improvement was driven by a 3.1% increase in patient days. Admissions grew 2.5% year over year. The average length of stay rose 0.6% year over year and beat the consensus estimate by 0.6%. Revenue per patient day increased 1.3% year over year.
In the overall facility, patient days improved 4.5% year over year, while admissions grew 7.2%. Revenue per patient day increased 1.5% year over year. The average length of stay declined 2.5% year over year.
Total expenses of $2 billion rose from $736.2 million in the prior-year period due to higher salaries, wages and benefits, other operating expenses, supply costs and transaction and legal fees.
Total adjusted EBITDA declined 34.8% year over year to $99.8 million.
Financial Update (as of Dec. 31, 2025)
Acadia Healthcare exited the fourth quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $133.2 million, which increased from $76.3 million at the 2024-end level. It had a leftover capacity of $595 million under its $1 billion revolving credit facility at the fourth-quarter end.
Total assets of $5.5 billion decreased from $6 billion at the end of 2024.
Long-term debt amounted to $2.5 billion, which rose from $1.9 billion as of Dec. 31, 2024. The current portion of long-term debt was $28.4 million.
Total equity of $1.9 billion decreased from the 2024-end level of $3.1 billion.
Net cash provided by operations totaled $131.9 million in 2025 compared with $129.7 million in the prior-year comparable period.
Acadia Healthcare’s Share Repurchase Update
The company bought back shares worth around $50 million in 2025.
ACHC’s Full-Year 2025 Update
Revenues rose 5% year over year in 2025. Adjusted EPS of $2 per share in 2025 declined year over year from $3.30.
Q1 Guidance by ACHC
For the first quarter of 2026, revenues are projected to be between $820 million and $830 million.
Adjusted EBITDA is estimated to be in the range of $130-$137 million.
Acadia Healthcare’s 2026 Outlook
Revenues are projected to be in the range of $3.37 to $3.45 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is estimated to be in the range of $575 to $610 million. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) are predicted to be between $1.30 and $1.55.
Operating cash flows are forecasted in the range of $280 to $320 million. Expansion capital expenditure is expected to be between $140 million and $155 million. Maintenance and IT capital expenditures are expected to be in the range of $115-$125 million.
Management estimates bed additions between 400 and 600 in 2026.
ACHC’s Zacks Rank
ACHC currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
How Did Peers Perform?
Several companies in the Medical space, including The Cigna Group (CI - Free Report) , UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH - Free Report) and Elevance Health, Inc. (ELV - Free Report) , have already reported their financial results for the December quarter of 2025. Here’s how they had performed:
Cigna reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share of $8.08, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.7%. The bottom line advanced 22% year over year. The results benefited on the back of strong results from its Evernorth Health Services segment, driven by new business and client relationship expansion, Pharmacy Benefit Services’ strength and improved specialty volumes. However, the upside was partly offset by a decline in Cigna’s medical customers following divestitures to Health Care Services Corporation and an elevated expense level.
UnitedHealth reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $2.11, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.09. However, the bottom line fell 69% from the year-ago period. The earnings were aided by growth in commercial fee-based membership and the strength witnessed in Optum Rx. However, UnitedHealth’s elevated medical costs and declining risk-based membership partially offset the positives.
Elevance reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $3.33, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.3%. The bottom line rose 3.1% year over year. The earnings benefited on the back of strong growth in premiums. Segment-wise, the Carelon division posted a robust revenue surge, aided by buyout and scaling risk-based services, while Health Benefits saw increased premium yields and Medicare Advantage membership growth. However, the upside was partly offset by a decline in Elevance’s overall medical membership and an elevated expense level.