Humana beats quarterly profit estimates as medical costs stay in line

Humana beats quarterly profit estimates as medical costs stay in line FILE PHOTO: A screen displays the logo and trading information for Humana on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U. S. , December 6, 2023.

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo · Reuters Reuters Wed, July 29, 2026 at 12:12 PM GMT+2 1 min read HUM UNH July 29 (Reuters) - Humana on Wednesday beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter earnings as the ‌health insurer's spend on medical services was in ‌line with expectations, but it left its annual adjusted profit ​forecast unchanged. Shares of the company were down about 9% in premarket trading. Humana is one of the largest providers of Medicare Advantage plans serving people aged 65 and ‌older as well ⁠as people with disabilities.

Investors have been raising their expectations for insurers, after others ⁠including larger peer UnitedHealth raised its outlook and have done a better job at controlling costs. Once a key ​source of ​profit growth for insurers, ​these privately managed Medicare ‌Advantage plans have come under pressure from rising medical costs for three years as well as tighter reimbursement rates, leading some insurers to scale back or exit underperforming markets. Humana reported a quarterly medical cost ‌ratio, the percentage of premiums ​spent on medical care, of ​91.

2%, which the ​company said was in line with its ‌expectations. Analysts expected a ratio ​of 91. 19%, ​according to data compiled by LSEG.

On an adjusted basis, the company earned a profit of $7. 61 ​per share, compared ‌with analysts' estimates of $7. 22 per share.