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Cigna Group: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted earnings per share rose: Adjusted income from operations was $2.1 billion, or $7.79 per share, against $1.8 billion, or $6.74 per share, a year earlier. Shareholders' net income was $1.7 billion, or $6.26 per share, against $4.85. Source
  • Total revenue rose 5%: Total revenues rose 5% to $68.5 billion, driven mainly by Evernorth Health Services, partly offset by the HCSC transaction, the March 2025 sale of Medicare businesses. Source
  • Cigna Healthcare pre-tax income rose 18%: Cigna Healthcare pre-tax adjusted income rose 18% on better margins in U.S. Healthcare employer and individual and family plan businesses. Source
  • Total relationships fell 2%: Total customer relationships fell 2% from year-end to 185.5 million. Source
  • Medical care ratio was 79.8%: The Cigna Healthcare medical care ratio was 79.8% against 82.2% a year earlier, mainly due to the HCSC transaction. Source
  • SG&A expense ratio declined: The SG&A expense ratio was 5.4% and the adjusted ratio 4.8%, down from 6.4% and 5.8%. Source

“We continue to improve how people experience health care, leveraging innovation and technology to make it more personalized, more transparent and easier to navigate,”

David M. Cordani, chairman and CEO of The Cigna Group

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted income from operations per share Sourcefull year 2026at least $30.35Raised from at least $30.25
Evernorth adjusted income from operations, pre-tax Sourcefull year 2026at least $6,900Kept
Cigna Healthcare adjusted income from operations, pre-tax Sourcefull year 2026at least $4,525Raised from at least $4,500
Cigna Healthcare medical care ratio Sourcefull year 202683.7% to 84.7%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Consolidated 2026 adjusted income per share guidance raised from at least $30.25 to at least $30.35. Source
  • Guidance raised: Cigna Healthcare full-year pre-tax adjusted income from operations floor raised from $4,500 million to $4,525 million. Source

Results and earnings growth

  • Adjusted earnings per share rose: Adjusted income from operations was $2.1 billion, or $7.79 per share, against $1.8 billion, or $6.74 per share, a year earlier. Shareholders' net income was $1.7 billion, or $6.26 per share, against $4.85. Source
  • Total revenue rose 5%: Total revenues rose 5% to $68.5 billion, driven mainly by Evernorth Health Services, partly offset by the HCSC transaction, the March 2025 sale of Medicare businesses. Source
  • Higher contributions drove profit growth: Adjusted income from operations rose 12% year over year, driven by higher contributions primarily from Cigna Healthcare, as well as Evernorth. Source

Evernorth and Cigna Healthcare segments

  • Evernorth revenue and income grew: Evernorth adjusted revenues rose 9% and pre-tax adjusted income rose 2% year over year. Source
  • Pharmacy Benefit revenue rose on drug mix: Pharmacy Benefit Services adjusted revenues rose 11%, mainly from drug mix, while its pre-tax result moved lower. Source
  • Specialty and Care income rose 20%: Specialty and Care Services adjusted revenues rose 6% on specialty volume. Pre-tax income rose 20% on organic growth and biosimilar adoption. Source
  • Cigna Healthcare pre-tax income rose 18%: Cigna Healthcare pre-tax adjusted income rose 18% on better margins in U.S. Healthcare employer and individual and family plan businesses. Source
  • Cigna Healthcare revenue fell with divestiture: Reported Cigna Healthcare revenue fell 21% on the HCSC transaction. Excluding it, adjusted revenues rose 8% on premium rate increases. Source

“Our strong first quarter results were driven by disciplined execution, deliberate portfolio shaping and a continued focus on targeted innovation.”

David M. Cordani, chairman and CEO of The Cigna Group

Customers and membership

  • Total relationships fell 2%: Total customer relationships fell 2% from year-end to 185.5 million. Source
  • Pharmacy customers fell on client moves: Pharmacy customers fell 2% to 121.0 million, reflecting client transitions and fewer health plan client members. Source
  • Medical customers rose 1%: Medical customers rose 1% to 18.3 million, on Middle, Select and International growth, partly offset by National Accounts. Source

Costs, margins and medical payables

  • Medical care ratio was 79.8%: The Cigna Healthcare medical care ratio was 79.8% against 82.2% a year earlier, mainly due to the HCSC transaction. Source
  • SG&A expense ratio declined: The SG&A expense ratio was 5.4% and the adjusted ratio 4.8%, down from 6.4% and 5.8%. Source
  • Evernorth margin slipped slightly: Evernorth pre-tax margin was 2.5% against 2.7% a year earlier. Source
  • Medical payables rose on seasonality: Cigna Healthcare net medical costs payable rose to $4.78 billion, reflecting typical stop loss seasonality. Source

Capital and balance sheet

  • Debt-to-capitalization ratio eased: The debt-to-capitalization ratio was 42.3% at March 31, 2026, down from 43.0% at year-end 2025. Source
  • Weighted average share count lower: Weighted average shares were 264.0 million, against 273.0 million a year earlier. Source

Strategy and 2026 guidance assumptions

  • Strategic optimization costs rose: Pre-tax strategic optimization program special items were $380 million, against $215 million a year earlier. Source
  • Guidance excludes new combinations: The guidance excludes any business combinations that may occur after the release date. Source
  • Guidance includes buybacks and dividends: The guidance includes expected future share repurchases and anticipated 2026 dividends. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Prior year reserve development Source$188 million favorable, gross pre-tax, first quarter 2026
Book value per share Source$159.59 at March 31, 2026
Investment income Source$202 million, first quarter 2026

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Pharmacy Benefit Services pre-tax adjusted income fell 28%, which management described as expected and consistent with prior commentary. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.