Piper Sandler raises Alignment Healthcare target to $21, keeps Overweight

Published 04/03/2025, 16:26
Piper Sandler raises Alignment Healthcare target to $21, keeps Overweight

On Tuesday, Piper Sandler adjusted its outlook on Alignment Healthcare Inc (NASDAQ:ALHC) shares, demonstrating confidence in the company’s future performance. The research firm increased the price target to $21.00, up from the previous $14.00, while maintaining an Overweight rating. The upgrade comes amid impressive market performance, with InvestingPro data showing the stock has delivered a remarkable 187% return over the past year and is currently trading near its 52-week high of $16.25.

The revision reflects Piper Sandler’s view of Alignment Healthcare’s potential for sustained and profitable growth, despite current challenges. According to InvestingPro data, while the company has achieved impressive revenue growth of 48% in the last twelve months, it remains unprofitable with negative earnings per share. The analyst highlighted the company’s "flywheel" approach as a key driver for success, describing it as a collection of repeatable and scalable processes and protocols. These strategies are designed to meet the four foundational goals of Medicare Advantage (MA): expanding beneficiary choice and access, enhancing the patient experience, optimizing clinical outcomes, and controlling costs.

According to Piper Sandler, Alignment Healthcare’s flywheel is gaining traction across various states, establishing a robust local care delivery infrastructure and improving patient engagement. This approach is also credited with closing care gaps, reducing inpatient admissions, and achieving best-in-class Star Ratings for the company’s contracts. The analyst believes that high Star Ratings contribute to better member retention, lower customer acquisition costs, and the ability to secure quality bonus payments, which in turn fund further investments in the network and benefits. For deeper insights into ALHC’s financial health and growth prospects, including 8 additional ProTips and comprehensive valuation metrics, visit InvestingPro.

The firm’s optimistic price target is based on a discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis. The analyst’s comments suggest that Alignment Healthcare’s strategies are not only effective in California, where they have demonstrated their potential, but also transportable to other states such as North Carolina, Nevada, and Texas, underscoring the company’s ability to scale its business model and deliver consistent, competitive, clinically validated, and cost-effective products across different markets. According to InvestingPro analysis, the company operates with a moderate debt level and maintains a healthy current ratio of 1.88, supporting its expansion capabilities.

In other recent news, Alignment Healthcare reported a strong fourth quarter for 2024, exceeding analysts’ expectations with an earnings per share (EPS) of -0.16, compared to the forecast of -0.18. The company also outperformed revenue projections, bringing in $701.2 million against the expected $674.97 million. For the full year, Alignment Healthcare’s revenue reached $2.7 billion, marking a 48% increase year-over-year, and the company achieved its first year of adjusted EBITDA profitability. Looking ahead, Alignment Healthcare has set its 2025 revenue guidance between $3.72 billion and $3.78 billion, reflecting a projected 40% year-over-year growth at the midpoint. Membership is expected to grow to between 227,000 and 233,000 members by the end of 2025.

Raymond (NSE:RYMD) James analyst John Ransom recently upgraded the company’s price target from $14.00 to $19.00, maintaining a Strong Buy rating, following the company’s robust performance in the fourth quarter. The analyst highlighted the company’s ability to grow at a rate of 20% or more annually, emphasizing its enhanced EBITDA profitability. Additionally, Alignment Healthcare’s forecast for 2025 includes an adjusted gross profit range of $415 million to $445 million, with adjusted EBITDA guidance increased by $7.5 million from the preliminary outlook, now standing at $35 million to $60 million.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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