Health Care Equipment & Services

Krungsri Securities said the Social Security Board approved a gradual increase in the wage ceiling for insured persons under Section 33, from 15,000 baht to 17,500 baht in 2026, 20,000 baht in 2029, and 23,000 baht in 2032. The research team estimates that raising the wage ceiling from 15,000 baht to 17,500 baht during 2026-28 will increase the contribution base by 16.7% and generate additional revenue for the fund of about 3,825 baht per insured person per year. Considering only the four-case fund, which directly supports health benefits, it will add revenue of approximately 1,350 baht per insured person per year. Based on a sensitivity analysis assuming a roughly 10% increase in social security medical treatment fees for capitation, IPD treatment, and chronic disease risk burden, similar to the most recent adjustment on May 1, 2023, it is estimated to add a burden to the fund of about 301 baht per insured person per year, or 22% of the incremental revenue of the four-case fund. This reflects that the fund's increased revenue exceeds the higher treatment burden and increases the likelihood of future adjustments to medical treatment rates, which would be an upside for BCH and CHG. On October 19, 2026, the ad hoc subcommittee to review the criteria and rates for medical service payments to contracted hospitals in the social security system will meet to finalize the proposal to adjust social security medical treatment fees after three meetings. It will then propose to the Medical Board and the Social Security Board. The research team assesses the impact on the 2027 earnings forecasts of BCH and CHG under two scenarios. In the first scenario, only the capitation rate is raised by 10%, with an assumed incremental margin of 80%, which would increase 2027 earnings of BCH and CHG by about 11% and 9%, respectively, with additional value from the target price of BCH of about 0.60-0.70 baht and CHG of about 0.10-0.15 baht. In the second scenario, all three items are raised by 10%, with an assumed incremental margin of 70%, which would increase earnings of BCH and CHG by about 13% and 11%, respectively, with additional value from the target price of BCH of about 0.80-1.00 baht and CHG of about 0.15-0.20 baht. The research team maintains a bullish view on the hospital sector, with top picks BDMS (Buy, target price 25 baht) and PR9 (Buy, target price 24 baht), while BCH (Buy, target price 12 baht) stands out in the social security hospital group due to earnings having passed the trough and a high chance of benefiting from the increase in social security medical treatment rates.

CVS Health is expanding its pharmacy-focused format by opening nearly 20 smaller neighborhood locations across the United States in 2026, including a new Roxbury site in the Boston area. The expansion comes as recent headlines have sent mixed signals for investors, with Medicare Advantage star rating setbacks and a legal probe weighing on sentiment, while an extended Cardinal Health distribution deal and a reaffirmed dividend provide a steadier backdrop. Even after a one-day share price decline of 1.87% and a 30-day share price return down 8.98%, the year-to-date share price return of 7.53% and a one-year total shareholder return of 14.11% indicate that longer term holders have still seen gains as shorter term momentum has faded. On the most followed view, CVS Health screens as undervalued, with a fair value of $124 against a last close of $86.16. The company has raised full-year guidance twice through the first half of 2026, Aetna's medical benefit ratio has improved, cash flow is running well ahead of plan, and all three operating segments are growing, though the story could break if Aetna's medical cost trend runs hotter than expected or if pharmacy benefit reforms compress Health Services earnings faster than planned.

Certara's fair value estimate has edged up to US$8.71 from US$8.19, with analyst price targets clustering in the US$9 to US$10 range ahead of upcoming results. UBS resumed coverage of Certara with a Neutral rating and a US$10 price target, while Barclays lifted its target from US$7.50 to US$9 and Baird moved from US$6 to US$7. Revenue growth expectations have shifted from a decline of 0.64% to an increase of 1.49%, while the net profit margin is reported at 3.76% on both the previous and updated figures and the future P/E has changed from 87.9x to 94.4x. Barclays describes an "extremely tough setup" for life science and diagnostic stocks, and UBS says it wants more evidence of a software revenue recovery before taking a more positive view. The discount rate is broadly unchanged, moving from 8.57% to 8.59%.

Abbott Laboratories introduced Ensure Max Protein 3-in-1 Muscle Support, a combined protein, creatine, and HMB powder that is NSF certified and targets muscle building, recovery, and preservation for everyday active consumers and athletes. The launch expands Abbott's nutrition portfolio beyond devices and diagnostics into a broader performance-focused supplement offering, edging the company into a space where firms like Nestlé Health Science and Danone are already active. The product lands in Abbott's Nutrition segment, which the company's narrative casts as rebuilding trust and profitability after legal issues while medical technology and diagnostics do the heavy lifting for future earnings. Relative to large-ticket catalysts such as Libre, electrophysiology tools and Cancer Diagnostics, Ensure Max Protein looks more like incremental support for Nutrition recovery than a central earnings driver, especially with analysts still flagging legal exposure and margin pressure in the segment.

Veeva Systems is drawing renewed attention after Eli Lilly committed to deploying its Vault CRM globally in August and Amgen followed in September, moving established customers onto the company's newer commercial platform. For the quarter ended July 31, Veeva reported revenue up 18% to $928 million, including 16% subscription growth, while GAAP operating income rose 40% to $275 million and adjusted diluted EPS climbed to $2.35 from $1.99. The company's updated full-year outlook calls for approximately $3.68 billion in revenue and adjusted diluted EPS of approximately $9.21. Veeva shares trade at roughly 29.7x forward earnings versus 15.5x for Salesforce, and the stock returned 61.1% between March 30 and October 5. Insider Monkey tracked 61 hedge funds holding Veeva in the second quarter, down from 62 in the first, with short interest at 3.35% of float.

Schneider Electric SE agreed to acquire U.S.-based engineering software developer PTC Inc. for $22.6 billion, or €20.1 billion, paying $205 per share in an all-cash deal. The transaction was among a string of major deals reported across sectors this week. Viatris said it will acquire all outstanding shares of Pacira BioSciences for $36.50 per share in cash, an aggregate equity value of $1.65 billion, while CD&R and McKesson agreed to acquire Option Care Health for $32.05 per share, valuing it at approximately $5.8 billion including debt, sending its shares up 34% in early trading Tuesday. Energy Transfer agreed to acquire Vaquero Midstream in a $2.625 billion deal consisting of $1.95 billion in cash and about 33.3 million newly issued Energy Transfer common units, and Cenovus Energy agreed to acquire Athabasca Oil in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about C$5.7 billion, a 14% premium to Athabasca's 20-day volume-weighted average trading price. Canadian utilities Emera and Canadian Utilities agreed to an all-stock merger worth C$14.3 billion, or US$10 billion, creating a combined company with a C$72 billion enterprise value and a regulated rate base of C$45 billion serving roughly 6 million customers. Separately, TKO LLC proposed to acquire Service Properties Trust's entire hospitality portfolio for $2.0 billion, and CCC Intelligent Solutions soared 13% in after-hours trading on a report that GTCR and Elliott Investment Management are in advanced discussions to purchase the car-insurance software firm.

CVS Health opened its first pharmacy-focused CVS Pharmacy in the Boston area in early October 2026 and outlined plans for nearly 20 smaller neighborhood pharmacies nationwide in 2026, part of a broader realignment of its retail footprint that also includes store-in-store locations and clinics. At the same time, the company's Aetna unit is contending with updated Medicare Advantage star ratings that affect quality bonus eligibility, a reset the article describes as material for near-term earnings sensitivity. The new Boston-area pharmacy and the nearly 20 planned sites tie directly into CVS Health's push to reinforce core pharmacy economics and care access, alongside an extended Cardinal Health distribution agreement through 2032 and ongoing store-in-store expansion. The article's narrative projects $458.7 billion in revenue and $11.3 billion in earnings by 2029, requiring 3.6% yearly revenue growth and a $6.4 billion earnings increase from $4.9 billion today, and yields a $116.28 fair value representing 35% upside to the current price. Five members of the Simply Wall St Community see CVS Health's fair value between US$104.01 and US$273.65.

A court in Amsterdam on Saturday denied demands by shareholders of Philips for an investigation into the company over its handling of a massive product recall involving its sleep apnea and ventilator machines in 2021. The Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the company, dealing a setback to a large group of Philips shareholders, including the Dutch investors' association, VEB, and several institutional investors. The shareholders called for a court inquiry after the Dutch medtech launched a recall of roughly 3.5M breathing machines in 2021 due to concerns that a polyurethane foam used in the devices could deteriorate and become toxic. The investors argued that the company failed to identify and address the issues promptly due to weaknesses in its internal systems, and alleged that the Philips board of directors was aware of the problems at the company's Respironics U.S. unit, which made the devices, well before the disclosures were made regarding the issue. The chamber said there is no reason to assume that Philips ought to have intervened at Respironics earlier, or that the Supervisory Board exercised insufficient oversight, and added that there is no sufficient basis to determine that Philips' disclosures to the investors were late, incorrect, or misleading. The chamber didn't rule on whether there were errors at Respironics or regarding the extent of liability for damages faced by investors.

Jim Cramer used the October 6 episode of Mad Money to argue that CVS Health Corporation has become too cheap to ignore after its stock plunged from $110 to $86, even as the company's earnings outlook improved. CVS reported second-quarter revenue of $106.1 billion, up 7.3% year over year, with adjusted EPS rising to $2.58 from $1.81 and GAAP diluted EPS climbing to $2.31 from $0.80, while the insurance business's medical benefit ratio improved to 87.4% from 89.9%. The company raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $7.90 to $8.10 and its operating cash flow outlook to at least $11.5 billion, and management placed a reasonable floor under 2027 adjusted EPS at $8.44. Cramer said a possible 5% hit to next year's earnings should not send a stock down 22%, knocking nearly $30 billion off the company's market cap, especially not when CVS remains very strong. The uncertainty centers on Caremark, where the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' July proposal would pay average sales price minus 33.4% for drugs acquired through the 340B program, and where the FTC's July settlement would separate manufacturer fees from drug list prices and add transparency and options to move away from rebate guarantees and spread pricing. CVS also said Caremark membership would decline in 2027 as contracts change and some insurance clients withdraw from markets. Using the October 7 closing price of $87.95 and the $8 midpoint of CVS's 2026 adjusted EPS guidance, the stock trades at approximately 11x this year's projected adjusted earnings, versus approximately 9.1x for Cigna based on its $278.51 closing price and its 2026 adjusted earnings guidance floor of $30.45. According to Insider Monkey's data, 88 hedge funds held CVS Health in the second quarter, compared with 84 in the first quarter, with Pzena Investment Management the most prominent shareholder at around 11.77 million shares and GQG Partners increasing its holdings by 25137% to 7.955 million shares, while short interest stood at 1.27% of the public float.

A Dutch court on Saturday dismissed shareholders' demands for an investigation into Koninklijke Philips NV's handling of its 2021 sleep apnea device recall, siding with the health technology company over allegations that management failed to act promptly on safety concerns and misled investors. The Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal said it found no sufficient grounds to question Philips' policies or management practices that would justify an inquiry, following a review of extensive case files and internal documents. The shareholders, including Dutch investors' association VEB and a large group of retail and institutional investors, had argued that Philips' internal controls failed to identify and address problems with the recalled devices promptly, that its board knew or should have known about the risks before they became public, and that its disclosures breached legal obligations. The court found that sufficient reliable research data pointing to potential health risks from the PE-PUR sound-abatement foam became available only in the first months of 2021, and found no basis to conclude Philips should have intervened earlier at its U.S. subsidiary Respironics. The ruling does not determine whether errors were made at Respironics or decide whether investors are entitled to compensation, addressing only whether there were grounds to order an investigation. Philips recalled around 15 million sleep apnea and respiratory devices globally in 2021, a recall that caused its shares to lose about two-thirds of their value; the company agreed in 2024 to pay $1.1 billion to settle all personal injury claims filed in the United States, and investigations continue in multiple countries, including France, where prosecutors are examining allegations of aggravated fraud and failure to report safety risks.

NovoCure announced that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved Optune Pax, a portable Tumor Treating Fields device, for use with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in adults with unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The decision, announced in October 2026, was based on the Phase 3 PANOVA-3 trial, which showed a statistically significant improvement in median overall survival. The approval extends TTFields therapy into a new, hard-to-treat solid tumor indication in Japan, supported by largely manageable skin-related side effects that may encourage clinician adoption. It builds directly on the February 2026 FDA approval of Optune Pax in locally advanced pancreatic cancer alongside gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel, reinforcing the view that regulators in more than one major market consider the PANOVA-3 data clinically meaningful. NovoCure's narrative projects $915.6 million in revenue and $119.8 million in earnings by 2029, while some optimistic analysts assume revenue could reach about US$1.1 billion and earnings US$70 million by 2029.

Krungsri Securities has issued an analysis of hospital sector stocks after the Social Security Board approved a gradual increase in the wage ceiling for insured persons under Section 33, from 15,000 baht to 17,500 baht in 2026, rising to 20,000 baht in 2029 and 23,000 baht in 2032. It views the increases during 2026-2028 as adding roughly 1,350 baht per insured person per year to the fund's revenue across four benefit cases. The research team estimates that the higher social security treatment payments will be an upside to the 2027 operating results of BCH and CHG under two assumptions. In the first case, only the per-head flat payment, or Basic Capitation, is raised by 10 percent, and with an assumed incremental margin of 80 percent, this would lift 2027 profits of BCH and CHG by about 11 percent and 9 percent respectively, with added value to the target price of about 0.60-0.70 baht for BCH and about 0.10-0.15 baht for CHG. In the second case, all three items are raised by 10 percent, namely Basic Capitation, IPD cases with an RW value greater than 2, and 26 chronic diseases, and with an assumed incremental margin of 70 percent, this would lift profits of BCH and CHG by about 13 percent and 11 percent respectively, higher than the first case because it covers a broader proportion of social security revenue, with added value to the target price of about 0.80-1.00 baht for BCH and about 0.15-0.20 baht for CHG. The research team maintains a bullish view on hospital sector stocks, selecting BDMS with a buy recommendation and a target price of 25 baht, and PR9 with a buy recommendation and a target price of 24 baht. BCH carries a buy recommendation with a target price of 12 baht and is seen as a standout among social security hospital stocks, given that profits have passed their trough and it stands to benefit greatly from the increase in social security treatment rates.

Nipro's U.S. unit has completed enrollment in the GREAT trial for the Golazo Peripheral Atherectomy System, a clinical milestone the company says could matter for long-term sentiment. The Japanese medical equipment maker's shares trade at ¥1,319, with a one-year total shareholder return down 9.73% after a weaker 90-day share price return of 14.71%, though investors who held through the last three years still see a 30.60% total shareholder return. Nipro trades on a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.6x, below the JP Medical Equipment industry average of 16x, the peer average of 19.4x, and an estimated fair P/E of 18.8x, while recent earnings growth of 144.4% over the past year and higher net profit margins of 2.1% compared to 0.9% last year give context for the mid-teens multiple. The SWS discounted cash flow model, however, sends a different signal, with the share price of ¥1,319 against an estimated future cash flow value of ¥938.68 suggesting the stock screens as overvalued.

Shanghai Pharmaceuticals announced that its subsidiary, Shanghai First Biochemical Pharmaceutical, has received a Drug Registration Certificate from the National Medical Products Administration for Clevidipine Injectable Emulsion, granting approval for production. The product is available in 50 ml: 25 mg and 100 ml: 50 mg specifications, registered as a Category 3 chemical drug, with the company having invested approximately 52.2 million yuan in research and development. The product is indicated for hypertensive patients who cannot take oral medication. In 2025, hospital procurement of injectable calcium channel blockers with the same mechanism in mainland China reached 911.39 million yuan. Following approval, the product is expected to benefit from medical insurance payment support, increase market share, and enhance the company's competitiveness.

UnitedHealth Group closed at $378.81, up 2.12% and ahead of the S&P 500's 0.6% gain, with the Dow adding 0.83% and the Nasdaq up 0.64%. The largest U.S. health insurer is scheduled to report earnings on October 13, 2026, with analysts projecting EPS of $4.12, a 41.1% increase from the year-ago quarter, and revenue of $111.38 billion, down 1.57%. Full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates call for earnings of $19.85 per share and revenue of $446.78 billion, representing year-over-year changes of +21.41% and -0.18%. Over the past 30 days the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has risen 0.15%, and UnitedHealth Group holds a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). The stock trades at a Forward P/E of 18.69 versus an industry average of 20.83, with a PEG ratio of 1.39.

CRYO-CELL International reported fiscal third-quarter 2026 GAAP earnings per share of $0.16, beating estimates by $0.13. Revenue came in at $7.82 million, down 0.1% year over year, but still ahead of expectations by $0.37 million. Shares of the cord blood banking company rose 4.56% following the release. The results were announced in a company press release.

Alignment Health Plan said it will expand into Kern, Kings and Tulare counties and add Hoag and Astrana Health to its California Medicare Advantage provider network from 2027, widening its reach to 25 counties covering more than 6.3 million Medicare beneficiaries. At the same time, the company's largest California HMO contract was downgraded to 3.5 stars in the 2027 Medicare Star Ratings, raising questions about future quality bonus payments. Alignment is disputing the 3.5 star rating on its main California HMO contract through an appeal and legal challenge. The company's narrative projects $9.1 billion in revenue and $200.0 million in earnings by 2029, requiring 25.9% yearly revenue growth and a $159.3 million earnings increase from $40.7 million today. Before the news, the most optimistic analysts assumed revenue growth of about 27.6% a year and earnings of roughly US$247.9 million by 2029, a view that depends heavily on sustained quality metrics the new rating calls into question.

McKesson Corporation is partnering with private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice to acquire Option Care Health, Inc. for $5.8 billion including debt, taking the infusion-services provider private at $32.05 per share, a 37% premium to its previous closing price. Under the structure announced on October 6, CD&R will own 51% of the business while McKesson will hold 49% and retain the right to acquire its partner's stake in the future. The deal extends McKesson's push beyond traditional pharmaceutical distribution into higher-value specialty services, following its previously announced $2.25 billion agreement to acquire Precision Medicine Group. Option Care, which served more than 315,000 patients last year through home-based services and 184 care centers, reported second-quarter revenue up 1.9% to $1.44 billion and adjusted EBITDA up 3% to $117.5 million, and withdrew its 2026 guidance of $5.675 billion to $5.775 billion in revenue following the announcement. Analysts at Barrington and William Blair both downgraded Option Care to Market Perform, calling the $32.05-per-share offer attractive and a competing bid unlikely, while Morgan Stanley maintained an Overweight rating and a $977 price target on McKesson.

Toho Holdings is in advanced talks to acquire PHC Holdings in a potential Japan healthcare sector transaction valued at more than JPY 200 billion. The move would push the ¥240.1 billion pharmaceutical wholesaler further into medical devices, diagnostic reagents and healthcare technology, turning a pure distributor into a broader healthcare platform. The talks reflect a wider trend of privatizations and consolidation in Japan's healthcare industry. The key question now is whether Toho Holdings moves from due diligence to a formal tender offer, and on what terms, with investors likely to focus on the premium to PHC's last trading price, the proposed financing mix, and any concrete targets for returns or cash generation. Questions already surround dividend coverage by free cash flow and past one-off items in results, so higher funding needs and integration risk could weigh on the stock if the deal proceeds.

Glaukos Corp. said its iDose TR travoprost intracameral implant met the primary goal of a phase 4 trial in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. At three months, participants who underwent cataract surgery and received iDose TR saw a mean diurnal intraocular pressure reduction of 11.1 mmHg from baseline, compared with 7.4 mmHg for those who had cataract surgery alone. The iDose TR arm was also superior to cataract surgery alone in secondary responder analyses. No treatment-related adverse events of corneal endothelial cell loss, cystoid macular edema, or serious corneal adverse events were reported. iDose TR is designed to provide a continuous supply of travoprost inside the eye for up to three years.

UnitedHealth Group has sold an ownership interest in some of its Florida WellMed clinics to private equity firm TPG while retaining an interest in the operations, part of a broader portfolio consolidation aimed at restoring profitability margins. The move is meant to support a turnaround at Optum Health, where management is targeting margins of around 2%, 4% and 6% for 2026 through 2028. The health insurer's shares traded at $378.58 at the October 5 close, giving it a market capitalization of $334.76 billion, and its 4.10% gain over the last 52 weeks lags the S&P 500's 15.78%. Trailing twelve-month revenue reached $450.53 billion, but topline growth was just 0.40% in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, with a 5.35% operating margin and a 3.14% net margin. Operating cash flow came to $27 billion and levered free cash flow to $24.3 billion over the trailing twelve months, while 143 hedge funds held positions at the end of Q2 2026, up from 130 in Q1 2026, with BlackRock the largest institutional stakeholder at 76.86 million shares, or 8.56% of outstanding shares.

Glaukos Corporation announced a licensing agreement with RevOpsis Therapeutics to develop and commercialize RO-104, an investigational tri-specific biologic for multiple retinal diseases, while gaining exclusive rights to the RevMod platform to discover and develop up to four additional retinal biologic candidates. RO-104 is a first-in-class tri-specific biologic with a high-concentration formulation that inhibits VEGF-A, VEGF-C and Ang-2, three clinically validated pathways involved in retinal vascular diseases, and is being developed for neovascular age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion. In established preclinical animal models, the candidate demonstrated superior efficacy compared with approved anti-VEGF therapies, and the license covers the RevMod platform across geographic atrophy, DME, DR, RVO and nAMD. Chairman and CEO Thomas Burns said the addition of RO-104 and exclusive access to the RevMod platform marks a strategic step in expanding the company's retinal franchise and complements its existing retinal R&D initiatives. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Following the announcement, GKOS stock lost 6.3% at yesterday's close, though it has gained 42.8% year to date, and the company currently has a market capitalization of $10.16 billion.

Becton Dickinson is positioned to potentially extend its earnings-beat streak when it reports next on November 5, 2026, according to Zacks Investment Research. The medical device manufacturer has beaten estimates in each of its last two quarters, with an average surprise of 3.78%. In its most recent report, Becton Dickinson posted earnings of $3.23 per share against the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.14, a surprise of 2.87%, following a prior-quarter result of $2.9 per share versus an expected $2.77, a surprise of 4.69%. The company currently carries an Earnings ESP of +0.21% alongside a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), a combination that Zacks research shows produces a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time.

GE HealthCare announced a definitive agreement on October 5 to acquire Sofie Biosciences for $945 million in cash, with closing expected in the first half of 2027. The deal builds on an exclusive licensing agreement struck in October 2023 covering development and commercialization of Fluorine-18 FAPI-74 outside the United States and global rights to Gallium-68 FAPI-46, and it would add U.S. rights to F-18 FAPI-74 while expanding GE HealthCare's domestic radiopharmaceutical manufacturing network. The company also recently received CE Mark approval for its Photonova Spectra photon-counting CT scanner, its third clearance across key geographies in five months. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, adjusted EBIT margin fell 40 basis points year over year to 14.2%, though diluted EPS rose 16.5%, a figure that included a one-time $129 million tariff refund under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. After $2.3 billion of strategic acquisitions in the first half, GE HealthCare reported $10.1 billion in total debt and $2.1 billion in cash and equivalents at quarter-end.

Tandem Diabetes Care is broadening its product roadmap with new integrations, wider device compatibility and next-generation closed-loop technology while pushing international expansion. In second-quarter 2026, international sales rose 7% year over year to $75.3 million and pump shipments increased 19% to about 11,000, with direct-channel sales reaching about 13% of international revenues compared with 4% a year earlier. The company submitted a 510(k) for Mobi tubeless in the second quarter of 2026 and still targets a scaled launch in 2026 subject to FDA clearance, while Dexcom G7 15-day compatibility is now available for Mobi and t:slim X2 in the United States and t:slim X2 supports Abbott FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus in seven countries outside the United States. Tandem also received FDA approval of an IDE for its AIDANET fully closed-loop program and plans to begin a pivotal study later in 2026. Tandem ended the quarter with $456 million of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments and no short-term debt, though a key infusion set supplier constrained supply sales and inventory, and the 10-Q states inventory constraints are expected to persist through 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Tandem's 2026 loss per share stands at 66 cents, indicating a year-over-year improvement of 74.4%, while 2026 revenues are pegged at $1.07 billion, a 5.7% increase from the year-ago reported number.

Humana shares surged 15% in premarket trading after the health insurer said 95% of its Medicare Advantage members would be enrolled in plans rated four stars or higher in 2027, up sharply from 20% in 2026, well above J.P. Morgan's expected 60% to 70%. Delta Air Lines fell around 3.3% after cutting its annual profit forecast by nearly a quarter at the midpoint as surging fuel costs outweighed strong travel demand. Lumentum rose 3.8% after Chief Executive Michael Hurlston told Bloomberg Television in Tokyo that demand for its optoelectronic components had effectively booked out manufacturing capacity through early 2029, saying the company could not meet approximately 70% of demand for some products through next year and roughly 30% for certain others through 2028; Coherent gained 3.5% in sympathy. American Express fell almost 2% in after-hours trading after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency imposed a $350 million penalty over compliance failures that let approximately $13 billion of suspected money laundering go undetected between 2014 and 2025. SpaceX gained 3.7% on a deal to acquire a nationwide low-band spectrum portfolio, sending T-Mobile US, Verizon Communications and AT&T down between 5% and 6%, while tower operators American Tower, Crown Castle and SBA Communications advanced between 6% and 10%.

Profound Medical Corp. and Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited have entered into a co-education agreement to advance PSMA-informed prostate care, the companies announced on October 9, 2026. The agreement establishes a framework to educate urologists, radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians and prostate cancer centers on the complementary roles of Telix's PSMA-targeting PET molecular imaging technologies, Gozellix and Illuccix, and Profound's MRI-guided, AI-powered, robotically-driven and incisionless TULSA-PRO platform across the prostate care continuum. Planned initiatives include participation in major scientific and medical society meetings, key opinion leader programs, educational summits, speaker programs and webinars, along with educational content, clinical case studies and best-practice materials. Profound said the collaboration increases its access to urologists across the U.S. and internationally through a strong strategic partner, and that it is also developing PSMA-PET-MR image-fusion capabilities for a planned future release of its Treatment Delivery Console software. Profound CEO and Chairman Arun Menawat said the agreement supports broader market development and could strengthen the clinical and economic value proposition of TULSA-PRO centers, while Telix Precision Medicine CEO Kevin Richardson said the collaboration aims to increase awareness of the complementary roles of PSMA-PET imaging and MRI-guided therapy.

Glaukos Corporation announced positive topline results from its Phase 4 GLK-101-04 clinical trial showing that iDose TR administered in combination with cataract surgery achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful intraocular pressure reduction compared to cataract surgery alone. At month 3, eyes receiving cataract surgery plus iDose TR achieved a mean diurnal IOP reduction of 11.1 mmHg from baseline, versus 7.4 mmHg for cataract surgery alone, an incremental treatment effect of 3.6 mmHg with a p-value of less than 0.0001. The study randomized 149 eyes, with 74 assigned to the combination arm and 75 to cataract surgery alone, and met its primary efficacy endpoint as well as all pre-specified secondary responder analyses. iDose TR also showed a favorable safety profile through 3 months, with no treatment-related adverse events of corneal endothelial cell loss or cystoid macular edema and no serious corneal adverse events. Glaukos chairman and chief executive officer Thomas Burns said the data reinforce the versatility of iDose TR, a first-of-its-kind long-duration intracameral procedural pharmaceutical therapy designed to deliver 24/7 therapeutic levels of travoprost inside the eye for up to three years, whether administered as a standalone procedure or in conjunction with cataract surgery.

Humana announced improved CMS Star Ratings for 2027, with 95 percent of its Medicare Advantage members enrolled in plans rated 4.0 stars or above and 42 percent in 4.5-star plans. For 2027, Humana has six Medicare Advantage contracts rated 4.5 stars and 12 rated 4.0 stars, an increase of 11 contracts rated 4.0 stars or above compared with the prior year, while its stand-alone prescription drug plan contract earned a 4.5-star rating. The company said performance improved across all measure categories, with 663,000 more care opportunities met and 534,000 additional members completing an annual preventive visit versus the prior year. Those engagement efforts produced 28,000 overdue mammograms that identified 600 previously undetected breast cancers, 93,000 overdue colorectal cancer screenings that identified 100 previously undetected precancers and cancers, and 73,000 overdue eye exams for members with diabetes that identified 17,000 previously undetected diagnoses of diabetes-related eye disease. CEO Jim Rechtin said the ratings reflect the work of thousands of Humana employees, and Chief Medical Officer Shantanu Nundy said earlier detection gives members more treatment options and better outcomes.

Option Care Health has agreed to a US$5.8 billion buyout from McKesson and Clayton Dubilier & Rice at US$32.05 per share in cash, sending the stock up 37.5% over the past week. The shares now trade near the deal level at about 22.2 times earnings, below the broader healthcare sector at roughly 24.7 times and the peer group average near 43.7 times. Community views on Option Care Health split between a bull case calling the stock 19% undervalued on home-infusion growth and a bear case calling it 9% overvalued after the company cut its 2026 revenue guidance to a range of US$5.675 billion to US$5.775 billion, citing a roughly 600 basis point revenue growth headwind from chronic inflammatory disease therapies.

Kiatnakin Phatra Securities, or KKPS, said in an analysis dated October 8, 2026, that it maintains a Buy rating on Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, or BDMS, with a target price of 23.50 baht versus the current share price of 19.00 baht. It expects core profit in the third quarter of 2026 to grow 8% from the same period a year earlier to 4.6 billion baht, with a chance of setting a new quarterly record. KKPS expects revenue from Thai patients in the third quarter of 2026 to grow 6-7% from the same period a year earlier, supported by the influenza outbreak, while revenue from international patients is expected to grow about 10%, driven by patients from Myanmar, the United States and Bangladesh. However, revenue from Middle Eastern patients is likely to fall 5-10% from the same period a year earlier amid the conflict situation, though this is an improvement from the second quarter of 2026, when it dropped 24%. Revenue from Cambodian patients is expected to fall about 30%, but that is better than the previous decline of 70-80%. Excluding patients from the Middle East and Cambodia, international patient revenue is expected to grow 12-14% from the same period a year earlier, bringing total revenue in the third quarter of 2026 to an expected increase of about 7%, while the EBITDA margin is expected to improve 0.2 percentage points to 25.4%. For the fourth quarter of 2026, KKPS sees earnings continuing to grow even as the influenza outbreak eases, expecting revenue from Thai patients to still grow 3-5% from the same period a year earlier, while international patient revenue could still grow at a double-digit rate. In addition, BDMS had total extraordinary expenses of 416 million baht in the fourth quarter of 2025, keeping the year-earlier profit base low and opening the door for profit in the fourth quarter of 2026 to grow at a double-digit rate. On valuation, the research team views that BDMS currently trades at a 2026 P/E of about 19 times, below the regional average of about 29 times, while it expects net profit of 16.0 billion baht in 2026, rising to 17.5 billion baht in 2027 and 18.5 billion baht in 2028.