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Molina sinks on earnings miss and guidance cut, drags down peers Centene and Oscar

Molina Healthcare reported quarterly earnings Thursday morning that severely missed Wall Street estimates, bringing down its stock as well as several of its peers’ that provide coverage for government-sponsored plans.

Molina reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.84, less than half of the $3.90 analysts polled by FactSet were expecting. The company slashed its full-year profit guidance to roughly $14 a share, down from its previous guidance of $19 a share and less than the $18.50 a share analysts are penciling in.

One of the factors driving the underperformance was its Affordable Care Act plans, which were used at higher rates than expected, the company said. A higher portion of Molinas revenue comes from other federal programs, such as Medicaid.

Molina dropped about 18% in premarket trading. Insurance companies that focus on providing ACA plans, like Oscar Health and Centene, also fell.

ACA plans, which are government-subsidized health insurance for the poor, have roiled insurers this year amid higher-than-expected costs. ACA extensions are at the center of budget negotiations as the government shutdown stretches on.

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SpaceX gets a wave of bullish ratings from Wall Street analysts

SpaceX received more than a dozen positive analyst calls on Tuesday — including from major Wall Street banks — as they initiate coverage on Elon Musk’s space and AI company.

SpaceX went public on June 12 at a $2.2 trillion valuation, the largest debut in history. While the company hasn’t yet posted a profit, it seems to have convinced Wall Street that it will get there and grow its valuation on the way.

Of the at least 17 analysts that gave a rating on Tuesday, all but one gave it a “buy” or “outperform” rating. MoffettNathanson was "neutral."

The ratings come as SpaceX joined the Nasdaq 100 index, a benchmark tech-heavy basket of companies that underpins millions of portfolios. The inclusion adds built-in demand for the stock from index funds and ETFs.

Still, SpaceX fell more than 5% on Tuesday amid a broader sell-off, and is currently effectively flat from its opening price of $150 a share.

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Nike sinks to lowest level since 2014 after warning of “challenged” sales environment in Q4 report

Did Nike do it?

Investors had a mixed reaction after the global sports apparel company reported its fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday after the bell. Shares initially rose 5% as Nike beat out Wall Street expectations amid a hefty tariff refund bonus. However, the stock then sank to its lowest level since August 2014 in postmarket trading.

Here are the Q4 numbers:

  • Revenue of $11.0 billion (estimate: $10.8 billion).

  • Adjusted earnings per share of $0.20 (estimate: $0.12).

Ahead of this report, Nike warned that results would be flattered by a one-time tariff refund (now estimated at roughly $0.52 per share for the bottom line). That gave the company an extra cushion in snapping its streak of seven quarters of year-over-year profit declines.

Over the past year, the company had been punished by tariffs on imported goods, stagnant consumer spending, and increasing competition from other footwear brands like New Balance, Adidas, and Hoka.

Outgoing CFO Matthew Friend deemed it an “increasingly challenging operating environment, where sell-through remains challenged.”

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