Health Care Providers & 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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%.

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.

Ekchai Medical Public Company Limited, or EKH, reported that the overall hospital business in the third quarter of 2026 fell in a seasonally high period for patient volumes, and volatile weather also pushed up the number of patients. Its hospital in Samut Sakhon province was not affected by flooding, and bed occupancy currently stands at more than 50-70%, holding steady at a high level. Dr. Amnat Uea-areemitr, a director and the hospital's director, said EKH has a subsidiary called Ekchai Nursing Home Company Limited which, despite using the term nursing home in its registered name, operates as a hospital providing palliative and end-of-life care, along with a specialized hospital for the elderly called Qun, upgraded into a full-fledged hospital with proper licenses rather than a general elderly care facility. On the comprehensive specialized psychiatric hospital business under the name Bloom Hospital, it has a team of about 30 to 40 specialist psychiatrists and 50 single rooms. Since it began services on September 9, 2026, in less than one month, six to seven patients have been admitted as inpatients. As for the outlook for operating results in the second half of 2026, there is a chance of significantly better growth than in the first half, and for the full year 2026 the company is maintaining its target of double-digit revenue growth, or about 10%, compared with 1.28221 billion baht last year.

Shanghai Pharmaceuticals announced that its subsidiary Shanghai First Biochemical Pharmaceutical received the Drug Registration Certificate for Clevidipine Injectable Emulsion from the National Medical Products Administration, granting approval for production. The drug is mainly used to treat hypertension in patients for whom oral medication is unsuitable or expected to be ineffective. As of the announcement date, the company has invested approximately 52.2 million yuan in research and development for this drug.

Shanghai Pharmaceuticals announced that its subsidiary Shanghai First Biochemical Pharmaceutical has received the Drug Registration Certificate for Clevidipine Emulsion Injection from the National Medical Products Administration, with specifications of 50ml:25mg and 100ml:50mg, registered as a Category 3 chemical drug. The drug is mainly used to treat hypertension when oral medication is inappropriate or expected to be ineffective. It was originally developed by AstraZeneca and approved for marketing in the United States in August 2008. Shanghai First Biochemical Pharmaceutical submitted its marketing application in July 2024 and was accepted, with cumulative R&D investment of approximately 52.2 million yuan. The company stated that this approval will help expand the drug's market share and enhance market competitiveness, but drug sales are affected by uncertainties such as national policies and the market environment, and sales may fall short of expectations. Investors should be aware of the risks.

Shanghai Pharmaceuticals announced on October 9 that its subsidiary SPH No.1 Biochemical & Pharmaceutical has received the Drug Registration Certificate for Clevidipine Injectable Emulsion from the National Medical Products Administration. The drug has been approved for production and is mainly used to treat hypertension in patients for whom oral medication is unsuitable or expected to be ineffective. As of the announcement date, the company has invested approximately 52.2 million yuan in research and development for this drug. According to the IQVIA database, in 2025, the procurement amount of injectable calcium channel blockers with the same mechanism as Clevidipine Injectable Emulsion in mainland China hospitals was 911 million yuan. In the first half of 2026, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals achieved revenue of 147.47 billion yuan and net profit attributable to the parent company of 3.504 billion yuan.

Shanghai Pharmaceuticals announced on October 9 that its subsidiary Shanghai No.1 Biochemical & Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. received the Drug Registration Certificate for Clevidipine Injectable Emulsion from the National Medical Products Administration, and the drug has been approved for production. Clevidipine Injectable Emulsion is mainly used to treat hypertension in patients for whom oral medication is unsuitable or expected to be ineffective.

Clover Health Investments announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services awarded its PPO Medicare Advantage plans a 5 Star rating and its HMO Medicare Advantage plan a 4.5 Star rating for 2027, affecting payment year 2028. The 5 Star rating means Clover's PPO plans can enroll beneficiaries year round, and the company said it grew Medicare Advantage membership roughly 48% year-over-year through the first half of 2026 to more than 157,000 members, with about 98% enrolled in its wide-network PPO plans. CMS calculated the PPO rating by removing the 20 measures at issue in Clover Insurance Company v. Department of Health & Human Services, a May 27, 2026 decision now on appeal; with those measures included, the PPO plans would have received 4.5 Stars. Clover also reported a HEDIS score of 4.82 out of 5 Stars for the third straight year, ranking first among non-SNP PPO plans with over 2,000 members, unchanged under either CMS methodology. CEO Andrew Toy said the rating strengthens Clover's ability to support members and provide market-leading plans, while Medicare Advantage CEO Jamie Reynoso said the company can reinvest in more competitive benefits.

Alignment Healthcare, Inc. announced that six of its seven Medicare Advantage contracts eligible for rating earned 4 Stars or higher in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' 2027 Star Ratings, including three plans that achieved an overall 4.5-Star Rating. The high-performing contracts span Arizona, California, Nevada, North Carolina and Texas. The company also reported that its California H3815 HMO contract received a 3.5-Star Rating for 2027, a result Alignment says does not accurately reflect the contract's longstanding performance on evidence-based measures of quality, clinical outcomes and member experience. Dawn Maroney, president of Alignment Health and CEO of Alignment Health Plan, said the current Star Ratings framework has drifted too far from accurate quality measurement, and that the company intends to pursue all available administrative remedies and to litigate the measures and methodologies it believes warrant review. Maroney added that Alignment remains confident in its ability to return the California HMO contract to at least a 4-Star Rating. The 2027 Star Ratings were published by CMS on Oct. 8, 2026, with plan enrollment as of September 2026.

Brookdale Senior Living Inc. reported its occupancy for September 2026, with third quarter weighted average consolidated occupancy growing 130 basis points year-over-year to 83.1%. Sequential consolidated and same community weighted average occupancy both grew 70 basis points, outperforming the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care stabilized senior housing market occupancy results for the same sequential period. The company operates 529 communities across 41 states with the ability to serve approximately 45,000 residents as of September 30, 2026. Brookdale's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BKD.

Guardant Health announced that Guardant360 CDx has received CE-marking under Europe's In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation as a companion diagnostic for AstraZeneca's ETCAMAH, also known as camizestrant, in advanced ER-positive breast cancer. The test identifies patients with estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who may benefit from the next-generation oral selective estrogen receptor degrader and complete ER antagonist. Using a simple blood draw, clinicians can test for ESR1 mutations ahead of disease progression, and the European approval follows prior regulatory approvals of Guardant360 CDx as a companion diagnostic for ETCAMAH in the United States and Japan. The clearance marks the third companion diagnostic approval for ETCAMAH and the 31st companion diagnostic approval for Guardant Health. Chairman and co-CEO Helmy Eltoukhy said the company sees tremendous potential for this testing protocol to transform the treatment of other cancer types.

RadNet posted the strongest quarter among the five testing and diagnostics services stocks tracked, reporting revenues of $622.7 million, up 25% year on year and 2.3% above analysts' expectations, with a beat on EPS estimates. Dr. Howard Berger, President and Chief Executive Officer of RadNet, said the Imaging Center and Digital Health reportable operating segments continued to demonstrate strong growth and achieve record quarterly results, with Total Company Revenue up 25.0% and Digital Health segment Revenue up 56.5% from last year's same quarter. As a group, the five testing and diagnostics services stocks tracked beat analysts' consensus estimates by 2.8%, and their share prices are up 7.2% on average since the latest earnings results. Quest Diagnostics reported revenues of $3.04 billion, up 10.2% year on year and 2.3% above expectations, while Guardant Health reported revenues of $335 million, up 44.3% year on year and 6.4% above expectations, scoring the biggest analyst estimate beat, fastest revenue growth, and highest full-year guidance raise of the whole group. Labcorp delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates, slowest revenue growth, and weakest full-year guidance update among its peers, with revenues of $3.73 billion, up 5.8% year on year and in line with analysts' expectations, while NeoGenomics reported revenues of $201.7 million, up 11.2% year on year and 2.2% above expectations.

Dr. Surin Prasitthihiran, Managing Director of Ratchathani Hospital Public Company Limited, or RJH, disclosed that second-half operating results are expected to grow better than target, particularly in the third quarter of 2026, supported by a recovery in the gastric surgery patient group, the high season for the hospital business, and more efficient cost management. Revenue from health check-ups at the group's three hospitals rose compared with the same period last year. In the fourth quarter of 2026, revenue may slow seasonally, but the company is still maintaining good expense control efficiency. The highlight is Ratchathani Hospital Nong Khaek, a new hospital in the group, which has shown significant improvement. It had been expected to return to profit around the end of this year, but based on a preliminary assessment in September, it is now expected to turn profitable as early as the third quarter of 2026, about three months ahead of the original estimate. It currently operates one ward with 31 beds and has an average occupancy of about 20 beds. Meanwhile, Ratchathani Hospital Rojana, registered for 100 beds, actually operates 31 beds with an occupancy rate of about 70%. On social security, the medical service fees paid to contracted hospitals are under review, covering the per-head capitation payment, treatment of chronic diseases, and complex diseases with RW greater than 2. The review is expected to be completed by October 24, 2026. The current capitation rate stands at 1,808 baht per person per year. The three hospitals currently have a combined base of about 270,000 insured persons, and this is expected to rise to 280,000 by the end of this year. If the process proceeds within the expected framework, the increase in the social security capitation rate may be announced and take effect from January 1, 2027. The company targets revenue growth of no less than 10% this year.

UnitedHealth Group has become one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com, with the health insurer's shares down 4.4% over the past month against a 1.4% gain for the Zacks S&P 500 composite. For the current quarter, UnitedHealth is expected to post earnings of $4.12 per share, a change of 41.1% from the year-ago quarter, while the consensus estimate for the current fiscal year stands at $19.85, up 21.4% from the prior year. The consensus sales estimate for the current quarter is $111.38 billion, a year-over-year change of -1.6%, with current and next fiscal year estimates of $446.78 billion and $458.33 billion. In its last reported quarter, UnitedHealth posted revenues of $112.03 billion, up 0.4% year over year, and earnings per share of $6.38 versus $4.08 a year earlier, beating the consensus revenue estimate of $110.12 billion by 1.74% and the EPS estimate by 29.15%. Based on the recent change in the consensus estimate and three other earnings-related factors, UnitedHealth carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), and it is graded A on the Zacks Value Style Score, indicating it trades at a discount to its peers.