Seeking Alpha

Seeking Alpha Portfolio App for iPad

399 people get WCG articles and Market Currents by email alert.

Get email alerts on WCG »

WCG

WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

5/24/2013, 8:08 PM ET

Quote & Headlines Market Currents StockTalk

All
| Earnings
| Dividends
| M&A
| On the move

Tuesday, May 21, 1:28 PM WellCare Health Plans (WCG -5.1%) falls on a Goldman downgrade to Neutral from Buy (price target $60). Analyst Matthew Borsch cites downside risks to Medicare Advantage earnings in revising down his FY14 EPS estimate to $5.50 from $5.75 (consensus is $5.47) and his FY15 estimate to $6.30 from $6.65. See the CC transcript for Borsch's back and forth with management regarding Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and STAR quality scoring. Comment! [Healthcare, On the Move]
Tuesday, May 21, 1:28 PM WellCare Health Plans (WCG -5.1%) falls on a Goldman downgrade to Neutral from Buy (price target $60). Analyst Matthew Borsch cites downside risks to Medicare Advantage earnings in revising down his FY14 EPS estimate to $5.50 from $5.75 (consensus is $5.47) and his FY15 estimate to $6.30 from $6.65. See the CC transcript for Borsch's back and forth with management regarding Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and STAR quality scoring. Comment! [Healthcare, On the Move]
Saturday, May 4, 3:52 PM Barron's is out with its list of the 500 financially strongest companies as ranked after a rigorous cash and sales analysis. A quick filter on the list shows a good chunk of the names trade with a single-digit price to earnings ratio including Goodyear Tire & Rubber (GT). Despite all the buzz about booming auto sales in the U.S. and China, concerns about growth for Goodyear's products in other regions of the globe have lowered expectations. But with auto sale estimates for full-year being taken higher, Goodyear could see enough consistent revenue growth to justify a higher trading multiple. (Top 25: AAPL, WCC, WDC, DVA, CHRW, QCOM, JOY, V, STX, MRC, MA, CVI, COF, SYMC, MCK, WCG, ETN, BRCM, TMO, CI, CBI, NOV, WNR, HFC, DK) 39 Comments [Consumer, Quick Ideas]
Friday, May 3, 6:42 AM WellCare Group (WCG): Q1 EPS of $0.63 misses by $0.06. Revenue of $2.26B beats by $0.08B. (PR) Comment! [Earnings, Breaking News, Healthcare]
Friday, May 3, 12:05 AM Notable earnings before Friday’s open: ADP, AXL, BBEP, BPL, CBOE, DUK, FBN, GBDC, GTXI, HST, LNT, MCO, NGLS, NRF, NVE, NWL, PNW, POM, PPC, REGN, SE, SEP, SMP, UPL, WCG, XLS, YRCW Comment! [Earnings]
Thursday, May 2, 5:30 PM Notable earnings before Friday’s open: ADP, AXL, BBEP, BPL, CBOE, DUK, FBN, GBDC, GTXI, HST, LNT, MCO, NGLS, NRF, NVE, NWL, PNW, POM, PPC, REGN, SE, SEP, SMP, UPL, WCG, XLS, YRCW Comment! [Earnings]
Friday, April 19, 2:22 PM WellCare Health Plans (WCG -0.8%) slips after Jefferies initiates thes shares with a cautious Hold rating and a $65 price target. Jefferies says the stock has already surged 23% YTD, and valuation is near its historical average. Additionally, it's concentrated Medicaid focus, lack of new contract wins, and issues with re-procurement in Florida all represent near-term risks that could upset the apple cart in FY13. Comment! [Healthcare, On the Move]
Wednesday, April 17, 12:33 PM The big surge in health care stocks earlier this month just prior to the government's decision on Medicare Advantage rates may have been due to an email to sent by a former top congressional aide who now happens to be an outside lobbyist for Humana (HUM -1.9%). The email, which is now subject to an SEC probe, was sent to a Washington investment-research firm and circulated to clients just minutes before the close of trading, saying that "credible sources" had told them a decision had been made to restore the payments. 4 Comments [Healthcare]
Tuesday, April 2, 10:41 AM Goldman Sachs opts to remain selective on a few names in the managed care sector following yesterday's announcement by the CMS that Medicaid Advantage rates were going higher. It's reiterating a CL-Buy on UnitedHealth (UNH +7.6%), calling its valuation under 10X FY14 EPS attractive, as well a Buy on Health Net (HNT +3.6%) and WellCare (WCG +5.2%). It maintains Sell ratings on Humana (HUM +8.3%) and Universal American (UAM +9.9%) however, noting the majority of their earnings are tied to Medicaid Advantage with about half of those members in non-HMO plans." Comment! [Healthcare, On the Move, U.S. Economy]
Monday, April 1, 6:12 PM The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, after originally calling for reducing Medicare Advantage payments in February, seem to have reversed course, now projecting that combined growth in Medicare Advantage rates and fee-for-service rates will be 3.3%. Though it's unclear precisely what that may mean for health insurers, the markets are taking it as a positive: HUM +9%, AET +2.3%, WCG +4.1%, UNH +4% AH. 3 Comments [Healthcare, On the Move]
Monday, April 1, 4:08 PM Health insurers surge into the close as the final notice on Medicare Advantage reimbursement is due today: Humana (HUM +8.6%), UnitedHealth (UNH +3.1%), Wellcare Healthplans (WCG +3.9%), Coventry Health (CVH +1%) Centene (CNC +1%) and Aetna (AET +2.5%). Comment! [Healthcare, On the Move]
Wednesday, February 13, 11:57 AM WellCare Health Plans (WCG +10.3%) moves higher today on an upbeat outlook following an in-line Q4 report this morning. Net earnings actually fell 43% Y/Y as legal costs and higher medical bills masked the managed-care services provider's revenue growth, and a 7% premium rate increase in Kentucky, set retroactively to January 1, is widely seen as providing some relief to what's considered to be a tough market. In addition, another planned rate increase in the state has been pushed up a few months to July. Comment! [Healthcare, Earnings, On the Move]
Wednesday, February 13, 6:31 AM WellCare Group (WCG): Q4 EPS of $1.32 in-line. Revenue of $1.99B beats by $0.1B. (PR) Comment! [Earnings, Breaking News, Healthcare]
Wednesday, February 13, 12:05 AM Notable earnings before Wednesday’s open: ASPS, AVEO, CPN, DE, DF, DPS, DUK, EZCH, FBN, H, HSP, LO, PES, PRLB, TLM, TRI, VG, WCG, WFR 1 Comment [Earnings]
Tuesday, February 12, 5:30 PM Notable earnings before Wednesday’s open: ASPS, AVEO, CPN, DE, DF, DPS, DUK, EZCH, FBN, H, HSP, LO, PES, PRLB, TLM, TRI, VG, WCG, WFR Comment! [Earnings]
Tuesday, January 22, 10:08 AM Aetna (AET +0.5%) agrees to sell its Medicaid business Missouri Care to WellCare Health Plans (WCG -0.3%) as part of Aetna's $5.6B acquisition of Coventry Health Care (CVH +0.1%). A combination of Aetna's and Coventry's Medicaid plans in Missouri would exceed permissible membership thresholds under the state's contracts. Financial terms weren't disclosed. (PR) Comment! [Healthcare, M&A]