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Humana Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 lowered, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Quarterly EPS reported on both bases: 2Q26 GAAP diluted EPS was $5.73 and Adjusted EPS $7.61, against $4.51 and $6.27 in 2Q25. Year-to-date GAAP EPS was $15.55 and Adjusted EPS $17.91. Source
  • Operating cost ratio fell year over year: The consolidated GAAP operating cost ratio was 9.8 percent in 2Q26 against 11.0 percent in 2Q25. The Adjusted ratio was 9.7 percent against 10.9 percent. Source
  • Benefit ratio in line with guidance: The 2Q26 Insurance segment GAAP benefit ratio was 91.2 percent. Management described it as in line with its guidance of slightly above 91 percent. Source
  • CenterWell primary care patients grew: CenterWell Senior Primary Care added 130,900 patients year to date, or 27 percent, as the company continued expanding that business. Source
  • Adjusted EPS guidance held: Adjusted EPS guidance was kept. Management said it anticipates a year-over-year decline, tied to the Star Ratings headwind for Bonus Year 2026, net of mitigation. Source
  • GAAP EPS guidance reduced: GAAP EPS guidance for the year was revised lower while Adjusted guidance was affirmed. The release gives no separate reason for the GAAP revision. Source
  • Value creation charges rose: Value creation initiatives charges were $56 million in 2Q26 and $154 million year to date, against $29 million and $53 million a year earlier, within a multi-year transformation program. Source

“The first half of the year went well, and we're right where we said we'd be at Investor Day last year”

Humana President and CEO Jim Rechtin

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Insurance segment benefit ratio SourceFY 202692.75 percent, plus or minus 25 basis pointsKept
GAAP diluted EPS SourceFY 2026at least $6.52Lowered from at least $8.36
Adjusted diluted EPS (non-GAAP) SourceFY 2026at least $9.00Kept
Individual Medicare Advantage membership growth SourceFY 2026 compared with 2025approximately 25 percentKept
Reconciling items to FY 2026 Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) SourceFY 2026put/call valuation adjustments 1.47; value creation initiatives 1.27

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: FY 2026 GAAP EPS guidance was revised to at least $6.52 from at least $8.36, while Adjusted EPS guidance of at least $9.00 was affirmed. Source
  • New: Humana was the only new entrant among six awardees of a statewide Illinois Medicaid managed care contract. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Quarterly EPS reported on both bases: 2Q26 GAAP diluted EPS was $5.73 and Adjusted EPS $7.61, against $4.51 and $6.27 in 2Q25. Year-to-date GAAP EPS was $15.55 and Adjusted EPS $17.91. Source
  • Pretax results rose year over year: GAAP pretax results were $952 million in 2Q26 against $741 million in 2Q25. Adjusted pretax results were $1,248 million against $1,017 million. Source
  • Operating cost ratio fell year over year: The consolidated GAAP operating cost ratio was 9.8 percent in 2Q26 against 11.0 percent in 2Q25. The Adjusted ratio was 9.7 percent against 10.9 percent. Source
  • Revenue rose from prior-year levels: GAAP revenues were $40,867 million in 2Q26 against $32,388 million in 2Q25. Year-to-date revenues were $80,515 million against $64,500 million. Source

Insurance segment and benefit ratio

  • Benefit ratio in line with guidance: The 2Q26 Insurance segment GAAP benefit ratio was 91.2 percent. Management described it as in line with its guidance of slightly above 91 percent. Source
  • Insurance income differed by period: Insurance income from operations was $820 million in 2Q26 against $766 million in 2Q25. Year-to-date income was $2,255 million against $2,340 million. Source
  • Insurance amortization excluded from Adjusted: Insurance amortization was $4 million in 2Q26 and $8 million year to date. It is excluded from the Adjusted segment income of $824 million for the quarter. Source

“When we get the clinical care right and run the business more efficiently, everything else follows - stronger earnings and better health and experiences for the people we serve.”

Humana President and CEO Jim Rechtin

CenterWell and membership growth

  • CenterWell primary care patients grew: CenterWell Senior Primary Care added 130,900 patients year to date, or 27 percent, as the company continued expanding that business. Source
  • Membership growth drivers named: Management attributed the affirmed individual Medicare Advantage membership growth to new sales and improved retention, from its customer-led benefit strategy and changes to its customer service approach. Source
  • Footprint expansion continues: Management said it continued strategic expansion of its CenterWell and Medicaid footprints during the quarter. Source

Guidance and non-GAAP items

  • Adjusted EPS guidance held: Adjusted EPS guidance was kept. Management said it anticipates a year-over-year decline, tied to the Star Ratings headwind for Bonus Year 2026, net of mitigation. Source
  • GAAP EPS guidance reduced: GAAP EPS guidance for the year was revised lower while Adjusted guidance was affirmed. The release gives no separate reason for the GAAP revision. Source
  • Excluded items not yet recognized: The company said its FY 2026 GAAP and Adjusted EPS guidance exclude future value changes to items not yet recognized, which cannot currently be reasonably estimated. Source

Non-cash charges and transformation

  • Value creation charges rose: Value creation initiatives charges were $56 million in 2Q26 and $154 million year to date, against $29 million and $53 million a year earlier, within a multi-year transformation program. Source
  • Put/call adjustments are non-cash: Put/call valuation adjustments were $211 million in 2Q26 and $200 million in 2Q25. Management said they are unrelated to core business performance. Source
  • Minority investment impairments recorded: The company recognized $21 million of non-cash impairment charges in 2Q26 on minority-owned investments deemed unrecoverable based on recent market activity. Source

Disclosure and conference call

  • Remarks posted before the call: Prepared management remarks were published to the Investor Relations page ahead of the 8:00 a.m. Eastern question and answer session. Source
  • Full statistical release posted: The full earnings press release, including statistical pages, was posted to the Investor Relations site and filed on Form 8-K. Source
  • Non-GAAP measures explained in footnotes: Management said the non-GAAP measures help compare core operating performance over time, and are used for planning and incentive compensation. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 July 2026

  • Illinois Medicaid go-live: Management expects the statewide Illinois Medicaid managed care contract to go live in January 2027. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: The Adjusted EPS guidance reflects a year-over-year decline tied to the Star Ratings headwind for Bonus Year 2026, net of mitigation. Source
  • Financial: Minority-owned investments were impaired in 2Q26 as unrecoverable based on recent market activity. Source
  • Financial: Put/call valuation adjustments reflect fair value measurements on the primary care strategic partnership, which move each period. Source
  • Operational: Value creation program costs include severance, asset impairments and consulting expenses tied to the multi-year transformation. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management described the 2Q26 Insurance benefit ratio of 91.2 percent as in line with its earlier guidance. Source
  • On track: The CEO said the first half is where management said it would be at the prior year's Investor Day. Source
  • Not stated: Management affirmed the Adjusted EPS guidance; the release does not describe progress against it. 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.