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NTRA Q3 Earnings on Deck: Will Signatera Volume Growth Drive Results?

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Key Takeaways

  • Natera's Q3 revenues are estimated at $702.9 million, reflecting 18.7% growth from the year-ago quarter.
  • Natera's Signatera may gain from 56% oncology MRD volume growth and key regulatory milestones.
  • Natera may benefit from expanded Medicare coverage, supporting Prospera volumes and average selling prices.

Natera, Inc. (NTRA - Free Report) is expected to report third-quarter 2026 results soon.

The renowned cell-free DNA and genetic testing company posted a loss per share of 47 cents in the last reported quarter, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Natera beat on earnings in one of the trailing four quarters, matched once and missed on the other two occasions, delivering an average surprise of 26.58%. 

NTRA’S Q3 Estimates

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $702.9 million, indicating an 18.7% increase from the year-ago reported figure.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for loss per share is pinned at 9 cents, marking an improvement from the year-ago quarter’s loss of 64 cents. The estimate has narrowed in the past 30 days.

Let’s briefly review how the company has performed ahead of the announcement.

Key Trends Influencing NTRA’s Q3 Performance

Natera might have benefited from continued strength in testing volumes after processing a record 1.044 million tests in the second quarter. In Oncology, clinical molecular residual disease (MRD) volumes rose roughly 56% year over year and marked the largest sequential increase to date.

The company also achieved several regulatory milestones this year. In May, Signatera became the first MRD test to achieve the FDA’s approval as a companion diagnostic for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, followed by the Japanese PMDA approval for colorectal cancer in June.

In July, Signatera received IVDR certification in the EU, becoming the first solid-tumor MRD test to achieve this designation in Europe. Covering more than 20 tumor types, the certification can streamline clinical trial launches, help maintain patient access beyond the expected 2028 IVDD transition deadline and advance Natera’s efforts to secure reimbursement in Europe.

In addition, Signatera received a Category 1 recommendation from the NCCN Guideline Committee for guiding adjuvant treatment in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. This marked the third NCCN guideline to recommend tumor-informed MRD testing, following earlier recommendations for Merkel cell carcinoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. All three recommendations are based on Natera’s data.

Natera, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Natera, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Natera, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Natera, Inc. Quote

Collectively, these developments are likely to have supported broader Signatera adoption, boosting Natera’s third-quarter revenues. Higher Signatera average selling prices (ASPs) may have also contributed.

Natera’s women’s health business should have continued to benefit from new account wins driven by Fetal Focus adoption and early returns from the enhanced Panorama test launch. Powered by the company’s SNP-informed deep sequencing technology, Panorama is the only non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) with clinical validation data for common trisomies in patients with low fetal fractions.

NTRA likely witnessed volume growth in organ health in the third quarter of 2026. The business must have benefited from the final Medicare local coverage determination (LCD) for organ transplant surveillance, published in July.

Effective Aug. 30, the policy represents a meaningful expansion over the initial CMS proposal. In the first year after surgery, Medicare will cover six tests for kidney transplant patients and 12 tests for heart and lung transplant patients. In years two and three, Medicare will cover four tests annually across all three categories.

Management stated it expects to see the benefit of Medicare reimbursement in the second half of the year, driving improvements in Prospera ASP and Prospera volumes as physicians update their surveillance protocols to reflect the new policy. Accordingly, the development may have supported Natera’s third-quarter performance.

What Our Model Unveils for NTRA

Per our proven model, a stock with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), along with a positive Earnings ESP, has a higher chance of beating estimates, which is not the case here, as you can see below.

Earnings ESP: Natera has an Earnings ESP of -84.85%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Top MedTech Picks

Here are some medical stocks worth considering, as these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this time around:

Phibro Animal Health (PAHC - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +2.10% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is expected to release first-quarter fiscal 2027 results soon.

PAHC’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 18.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s first-quarter EPS indicates an increase of 8.2% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX - Free Report) , or BD, has an Earnings ESP of +0.21% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is set to release fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Nov. 5.

BD’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 2.94%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter EPS calls for a rise of 2.5% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.

IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.59% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is slated to release third-quarter 2026 results on Nov. 2.

IDXX’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 5.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter EPS implies a jump of 9.1% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.

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