Moderna, Humana and Elanco Earnings Previews: What Investors Should Watch
One stock has soared more than sevenfold this year, another just lost a quarter of its value on leaked data, and a third carries the fate of millions of retirees. Friday's earnings could test each rally in very different ways.
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.
Three health care names report on Friday, Nov. 6. Humana (NYSE:HUM | HUM Price Prediction) releases results at around 6:00 a.m. Eastern, while Elanco Animal Health (NYSE:ELAN) and Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) host their calls at around 8:00 a.m. Eastern. For retirement-minded investors, Humana’s Medicare Advantage update carries the most weight.
Big Rallies Raise the Bar Heading Into Friday
Humana’s last report delivered adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $7.61, its sixth consecutive beat. On Oct. 9, the company said 95% of its Medicare Advantage members are in 4-Star or above plans for 2027. On Oct. 13, it announced a joint venture with BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) to manage CenterWell Senior Primary Care clinics. Shares are up 57.8% this year.
In Elanco’s second-quarter release, CEO Jeff Simmons said organic constant-currency revenue grew 8%, led by U.S. Pet Health and U.S. Farm Animal, each up 11%. The release named Zenrelia as the single largest contributor to growth, closely followed by Credelio Quattro. Shares rose 12.44% over the past month.
Moderna has climbed 737.3% this year to $258.38. On Oct. 22, CNBC’s Fast Money reported the stock sank as much as 26% after cancer vaccine trial results leaked online, closing about 17% lower.
Wall Street’s Third-Quarter Targets
| Company | Q3 EPS Est. | YoY | Q3 Revenue Est. | YoY | FY2026 EPS Est. | FY2026 Revenue Est. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elanco | $0.2033 | +7.0% | $1.21B | +6.1% | $1.1306 | $5.13B |
| Humana | −$1.0047 | N/M | $40.89B | +25.2% | $9.1591 | $162.74B |
| Moderna | −$1.2829 | N/M | $891.3M | −12.3% | −$8.4955 | $2.10B |
Costs, Supply, and Cash Will Decide Friday
Humana: Medical Costs and Membership
Medicare Advantage plans are private alternatives to Original Medicare, funded by monthly government payments for each member. Plans rated four stars or higher on Medicare’s five-star scale earn bonus payments, so ratings drive revenue. In July, Humana guided to a third-quarter adjusted loss of about $1.00 per share, with its insurance benefit ratio (the share of premiums spent on care) slightly above 94%.
Watch cost trends, membership, any change to full-year adjusted EPS guidance of at least $9.00, and early 2027 commentary. Suze Orman noted on her podcast that a Humana spokesman said the company will cut plans covering about 600,000 people. Those plan exits ripple into premiums and surcharges retirees rarely see coming. (We mapped out the IRMAA traps and coverage gaps in a free Medicare guide.)
Elanco: Supply Versus Demand
Organic constant-currency growth strips out exchange-rate swings and acquisitions to show underlying sales. On Mad Money in August, CEO Jeff Simmons called the first half “probably our best six months since our IPO in 2018” and cited “seven points of market share in the first half.” On a new product, he said, “Candidly, we can’t quite meet the demand out of the gate because the demand is so high.” Watch whether supply catches up and whether margins hold as third-quarter operating expenses rise about 10%.
Moderna: Vaccine Sales and Cash Burn
Management expected about 55% of second-half revenue to arrive in the third quarter, making respiratory vaccine sales the key line. Cash and investments totaled $6.9 billion in June, against a year-end projection of $4.7 billion to $5.2 billion. On Oct. 1, Jim Cramer argued, “Moderna, formerly viewed as a one-trick Covid pony, now is something that could be huge in cancer.” A Fast Money guest countered: “Moderna is a do-not-trade type of stock because it’s just so volatile.”
Humana Matters Most for Retirement Portfolios
Humana needs stable costs and an intact outlook. Elanco needs supply to meet demand, and Moderna needs strong vaccine sales with slower cash burn. For income-focused, retirement-minded investors, Humana’s report matters most: its board declared a quarterly dividend on Oct. 29, and its plan decisions shape coverage for 6.45 million individual Medicare Advantage members.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Trey has been an editor and author at 24/7 Wall St. for more than a decade, where he has published thousands of articles analyzing corporate earnings, dividend stocks, short interest, insider buying, private equity, and market trends. His comprehensive coverage spans the full spectrum of financial markets, from blue-chip stalwarts to emerging growth companies.
Beyond 24/7 Wall St., Trey has created and edited financial content for Benzinga and AOL's BloggingStocks, contributing additional hundreds of articles to the investment community.
Trey's editorial expertise extends across multiple publishing environments. He served as production editor at Dearborn Financial Publishing and development editor at Kaplan, where he helped shape financial education materials. Earlier in his career, he worked as a writer-producer at SVE. His freelance editing portfolio includes work for prestigious clients such as Sage Publications, Rand McNally, the Institute for Supply Management, the American Library Association, Eggplant Literary Productions, and Spiegel.
Outside of financial journalism, Trey writes fiction and has been an active member of the writing community for years, moderating workshop sessions at regional conventions.
