Humana Slips To Loss In Q4 On Higher Expenses

(RTTNews) - Health insurer Humana Inc. (HUM) reported Wednesday a net loss for the fourth quarter compared to a profit last year, hurt by higher operating expenses, despite 17 percent higher revenues. Both adjusted loss and adjusted quarterly revenues topped analysts' expectations. The company also initiated adjusted earnings guidance for the full-year 2021, in line with estimates.

For the fourth quarter, the company reported a net loss of $274 million or $2.07 per share, compared to a net income of $512 million or $3.84 per share in the prior-year quarter.

Excluding items, adjusted loss for the quarter were $2.30 per share, compared to adjusted earnings of $2.28 per share in the year-ago quarter.

On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report a loss of $2.36 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Revenues for the quarter grew 17.0 percent to $19.06 billion from $16.30 billion in the same quarter last year. Adjusted revenues were $18.96 billion. Analysts expected revenues of $18.77 billion for the quarter.

Retail segment revenues grew to $16.83 billion from $14.21 billion, and Healthcare Services segment revenues were $7.29 billion, up from $6.70 billion last year, while Group and Speciality segment revenues declined to $1.79 billion from last year's $1.88 billion.

Looking ahead to fiscal 2021, the company now projects earnings in a range of $20.82 to $21.32 per share and adjusted earnings in a range of $21.25 to $21.75 per share on consolidated revenues between $80.3 billion and $81.9 billion. The Street is looking for earnings of $21.73 per share on revenues of $82.51 billion for the year.

The company also continues to project full-year individual Medicare Advantage membership growth of about 425,000 to 475,000 members, representing expected year-over-year growth of approximately 11 to 12 percent.