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Davita Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and operating income grew year on year: Revenue was $3.416 billion against $3.224 billion a year earlier and $3.620 billion in the fourth quarter. Operating income was $482 million, a 14.1% margin, against $439 million and 13.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Integrated kidney care swung to loss: Integrated kidney care had an operating loss of $19 million, against operating income of $46 million in the fourth quarter and a $29 million loss a year earlier. Its revenue was $116 million. Source
  • Treatment volume flat, normalized growth 0.1%: U.S. treatments totaled 7,029,525, or 91,650 a day, up 0.05% per day from the fourth quarter. Normalized non-acquired treatment growth against the first quarter of 2025 was 0.1%. Source
  • Patient care cost per treatment rose: Patient care costs per treatment were $280.11, against $279.60 in the fourth quarter and $271.77 a year earlier. Compensation, insurance and medical supplies drove the year-on-year increase. Source
  • Adjusted operating income range raised: The 2026 adjusted operating income range is $2,150 million to $2,250 million, up from $2,085 million to $2,235 million. The company does not give GAAP operating income guidance. Source
  • Free cash flow positive at $140 million: Operating cash flow was $321 million and free cash flow $140 million, against $180 million and negative $45 million a year earlier. Trailing twelve-month free cash flow was $1,209 million. Source
  • Buybacks in quarter and after quarter end: In the quarter the company repurchased 3.0 million shares for $403 million, at an average $133.70. From March 31 to May 5, 2026, it repurchased 2.0 million shares for $302 million, at $149.81. Source

“DaVita’s foundation is clinical excellence, driven by operating rigor that produces durable results”

Javier Rodriguez, CEO of DaVita Inc.

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted operating income Source2026$2,150 million to $2,250 millionRaised from $2,085 million to $2,235 million
Adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations attributable to DaVita Inc. Source2026$14.10 to $15.20Raised from $13.60 to $15.00
Free cash flow Source2026$1,000 million to $1,250 millionKept
Normalized treatment days by quarter Source2026, Q1 to Q4 and totalQ1 76.5; Q2 78.0; Q3 79.2; Q4 78.8; total 312.4Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Adjusted operating income range for 2026 raised to $2,150 million to $2,250 million from $2,085 million to $2,235 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Adjusted diluted EPS range for 2026 raised to $14.10 to $15.20 from $13.60 to $15.00. Source
  • Guidance kept: Free cash flow range for 2026 stayed at $1,000 million to $1,250 million. Source
  • Ended: Cybersecurity costs are no longer named among the items the guidance measures do not include; the prior release named them.

Results and earnings

  • Revenue and operating income grew year on year: Revenue was $3.416 billion against $3.224 billion a year earlier and $3.620 billion in the fourth quarter. Operating income was $482 million, a 14.1% margin, against $439 million and 13.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted EPS up from prior-year quarter: Diluted EPS from continuing operations was $2.87, against $2.00 in the first quarter of 2025 and $2.94 in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Net income from continuing operations rose: Net income from continuing operations attributable to DaVita Inc. was $198 million, against $163 million a year earlier and $209 million in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Fourth-quarter adjustments absent this quarter: Fourth-quarter adjusted figures added a $25 million legal accrual and an $8 million Mozarc net loss, taking adjusted EPS to $3.40. The first quarter had no such adjustments. Source

Segments and regions

  • U.S. dialysis operating income fell sequentially: U.S. dialysis segment operating income was $506 million, against $556 million in the fourth quarter and $476 million a year earlier. Segment revenue was $2,942 million. Source
  • Integrated kidney care swung to loss: Integrated kidney care had an operating loss of $19 million, against operating income of $46 million in the fourth quarter and a $29 million loss a year earlier. Its revenue was $116 million. Source
  • International income flat, corporate costs eased: International operating income was $30 million, against a $4 million loss in the fourth quarter and $30 million a year earlier. Corporate administrative support expenses were $30 million, against $32 million in the fourth quarter. Source

“We have consistently delivered exceptional clinical outcomes and strong financial performance, and this quarter is no exception.”

Javier Rodriguez, CEO of DaVita Inc.

Treatments and integrated care

  • Treatment volume flat, normalized growth 0.1%: U.S. treatments totaled 7,029,525, or 91,650 a day, up 0.05% per day from the fourth quarter. Normalized non-acquired treatment growth against the first quarter of 2025 was 0.1%. Source
  • Integrated care patients and spend declined: Risk-based integrated care patients were about 62,600, against 66,000 in the fourth quarter. Annualized medical spend for those patients was about $5.4 billion, against $5.6 billion. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Revenue per treatment up on reimbursement rates: Average patient service revenue per treatment was $417.59, against $422.60 in the fourth quarter and $400.14 a year earlier. Management attributed the year-on-year rise to reimbursement rates, including the Medicare base rate. Source
  • Patient care cost per treatment rose: Patient care costs per treatment were $280.11, against $279.60 in the fourth quarter and $271.77 a year earlier. Compensation, insurance and medical supplies drove the year-on-year increase. Source
  • General and administrative cost fell sequentially: General and administrative expense was $320 million, against $336 million in the fourth quarter and $283 million a year earlier. It was 12.4% of consolidated revenue, against 13.0% and 11.6%. IT-related costs and compensation drove the year-on-year increase. Source
  • Operating margin 14.1% versus 15.5%: Operating margin was 14.1%, against 15.5% in the fourth quarter and 13.6% a year earlier. The fourth-quarter adjusted margin was 16.2%, excluding the legal accrual. Source
  • Tax rate on attributable income 25.1%: The effective income tax rate on income attributable to DaVita Inc. was 25.1%, against 27.7% in the fourth quarter and 24.9% a year earlier. Source

Guidance for 2026

  • Adjusted operating income range raised: The 2026 adjusted operating income range is $2,150 million to $2,250 million, up from $2,085 million to $2,235 million. The company does not give GAAP operating income guidance. Source
  • Adjusted EPS range raised: The 2026 adjusted diluted EPS range is $14.10 to $15.20, up from $13.60 to $15.00. Source
  • Free cash flow range unchanged: The 2026 free cash flow range stays at $1,000 million to $1,250 million, the same as in the prior release. Source

Cash, debt and buybacks

  • Free cash flow positive at $140 million: Operating cash flow was $321 million and free cash flow $140 million, against $180 million and negative $45 million a year earlier. Trailing twelve-month free cash flow was $1,209 million. Source
  • Buybacks in quarter and after quarter end: In the quarter the company repurchased 3.0 million shares for $403 million, at an average $133.70. From March 31 to May 5, 2026, it repurchased 2.0 million shares for $302 million, at $149.81. Source
  • Leverage ratio rose to 3.34 times: Leverage ratio was 3.34 times, against 3.26 times in the fourth quarter and 3.27 times a year earlier, below the 5.00 times maximum. Total debt was $10,694 million. Source
  • Capital expenditure lower than prior year: Capital expenditure was $102 million in total, including $74 million maintenance and $28 million development, against $143 million a year earlier. Source
  • Distributions to noncontrolling interests eased: Distributions to noncontrolling interests were $85 million, against $93 million a year earlier. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 May 2026

  • Form 10-Q filing pending: The first-quarter figures are unaudited and may change before the company files its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Patients at dialysis centers Sourceapproximately 296,300 patients at 3,262 centers
U.S. treatments per day (utilization) Source91,650
Normalized non-acquired treatment growth Source0.1% year over year

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.