Humana Eases Investor Fears With Q3 Earnings, Approaches Future With Caution

Humana’s third-quarter 2024 earnings results were better than many analysts feared, driven by higher-than-expected Medicare Advantage (MA) revenue and outperformance of the company’s CenterWell clinics. 

For the quarter ending Sept. 30, Humana reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $4.16, beating Wall Street’s consensus estimate of $3.42. The company’s consolidated medical loss ratio (MLR) of 89.8% was in line with the consensus estimate. During an Oct. 30 conference call to discuss quarterly earnings, CEO Jim Rechtin noted that the company slightly improved its 2024 EPS outlook from “approximately” $16.00 to “at least” $16.00. This was in sharp contrast to the company’s second-quarter release, which saw the company’s stock tumble more than 10% on the news of higher-than-anticipated inpatient admissions and the company not raising its full-year guidance.