As part of the “Comparably Awards,” LHC Group, Inc. won three national recognitions for its business outlook, community, and strong teamwork. The Louisiana-based in-home healthcare company made the lists for major corporations for “Best Outlook,” “Best Processes Squad,” and “Best Deals Squad” (more than 500 employees).
“We are privileged and humbled to be recognized by comparably once again,” said Keith Myers, chairman, and CEO of LHC Group. “These awards, especially those for ‘Best Teams,’ are the property of our LHC Group family members all over the country.” The ‘Best Outlook’ award specializes in our focus on employee engagement and opportunity, demonstrating their belief in LHC Group’s potential success. Over the last year, we as a healthcare organization have faced some of the most difficult times in our history. This award demonstrates that we are committed to not only expanding our company but also creating a community that our workers can be proud of.” LHC Group’s fourth-quarter results were mixed. After releasing a 1Q forecast that came in below Street expectations, shares of the health care company dropped 5.9% in extended trading on Thursday.
In the fourth quarter, LHC Group (NYSE LHC WS at https://www.webull.com/quote/nyse-lhc-ws) recorded adjusted earnings of $1.40 per share, up 21.7 percent year over year and above analysts’ estimates of $1.39 per share. Net service sales rose by a small amount to $532.3 million. Analysts, on the other hand, expected $534.9 million in sales. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 28.3% to $68.4 million years over year.
Looking ahead, the company expects net service revenues of $515-530 million in the first quarter, which is lower than analysts’ estimates of $542 million. Earnings for the first quarter are expected to range between $1.20 and $1.30 per share, which is lower than the $1.37 per share consensus estimate.
In 2021, the company anticipates net service revenue of $2.2-$2.26 billion and adjusted earnings of $5.65-$5.90 per share. According to analysts, revenues of $2.26 billion and earnings of $5.90 per share are expected in 2021.
Following the results, Oppenheimer analyst Michael Wiederhorn retained his Buy rating on the stock with a $250 price target (33 percent upside potential).
“We favor home health due to its promising growth, driven by a change from the institutional setting into the home,” Wiederhorn wrote in a note to investors. Furthermore, we expect that as reimbursement rates tighten and reimbursement schemes become more complicated, the larger providers can lead a restructuring of this fragmented industry.”
Based on six unanimous Buy recommendations, the consensus among analysts is a Strong Buy. The average analyst price goal of $254.67 suggests a 35% increase in value from current levels. Over the last year, the stock has risen by around 25%. Before investing, you can check other stocks like nyse ge which you can learn from https://www.webull.com/quote/nyse-ge.