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On Thursday, Leerink Partners maintained a Market Perform rating on Enhabit Home Health & Hospice (NYSE:EHAB), following the company’s fourth-quarter earnings report. The firm noted that Enhabit’s revenue was in line with expectations, and the company achieved a slight EBITDA beat, with a 2% increase. Looking ahead, the guidance for 2025 was reported to be largely consistent with current projections.
The analyst from Leerink Partners observed that Enhabit’s Home Health segment did not meet their expectations, as volumes showed some moderation, which could be attributed to the company’s Medicare Advantage contracting strategy. Fee-for-service pressures persisted, declining by 8%, while Medicare Advantage volumes grew by only 11%, a decrease from the 20-25% growth seen in the previous three quarters. While currently not profitable, InvestingPro data indicates analysts expect the company to return to profitability this year, with an EPS forecast of $0.22 for 2025.
In contrast, the Hospice segment of Enhabit’s business displayed strong results. The average daily census saw significant improvement, and margins continued to increase, even with a rise in cost per patient per day. Corporate expenses were reduced by approximately 10%, which was speculated to be a result of bonus reversals.
Despite these mixed results, Leerink Partners anticipates flat EBITDA over a multi-year cycle for Enhabit, with ongoing challenges expected from the behavioral adjustment recoupment. The firm’s stance reflects a cautious outlook on the company’s financial performance in the face of industry pressures and operational headwinds. InvestingPro analysis suggests the stock is currently undervalued, with a strong free cash flow yield of 11%. For deeper insights into Enhabit’s valuation and growth prospects, investors can access the comprehensive Pro Research Report, available exclusively to InvestingPro subscribers.
In other recent news, Enhabit Inc reported its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings, which did not meet revenue and earnings per share (EPS) forecasts. The company posted an EPS of $0.04, falling short of the expected $0.06, and revenue of $258.2 million, below the anticipated $262.12 million. Despite the earnings miss, Jefferies maintained a Buy rating on Enhabit, with a price target of $9.50, citing the company’s stabilization in fundamentals as a positive indicator. Jefferies highlighted that Enhabit’s financial guidance for fiscal year 2025 aligns with consensus estimates, supporting a positive outlook. The firm also noted Enhabit’s relatively low valuation and minimal political and regulatory risks, contributing to the stock’s appeal.
Enhabit has been expanding its market presence, launching six new locations in 2024 and planning for 14 more. The company is focusing on growth through new locations and payer innovation contracts while implementing cost-cutting measures, including branch closures expected to save $2.5 million. For 2025, Enhabit projects net service revenue between $1.050 billion and $1.080 billion, with adjusted EBITDA expected to grow by up to 7%. CEO Barb Jacobsmeyer emphasized the company’s focus on growth, while CFO Ryan Solomon highlighted anticipated sequential improvements in EBITDA.
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