Elevance Health, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a health benefits company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Health Benefits, CarelonRx, Carelon Services, and Corporate & Other. It offers a variety of health plans and services to program members; health products; an array of fee-based administrative managed care services; and specialty and other insurance products and services, such as stop loss, dental, vision, life, disability, and supplemental health insurance benefits. The company operates in the pharmacy services business; and markets and offers pharmacy services, including pharmacy benefit management, as well as home delivery and specialty pharmacies, claims adjudication, formulary management, pharmacy networks, rebate administration, a prescription drug database, and member services. In addition, it provides healthcare-related services and capabilities, including utilization management, behavioral health, integrated care delivery, palliative care, payment integrity services, subrogation services, and health and wellness programs, as well as services related to data management, information technology, and business operations. Further, the company is involved in the National Government Services business. The company provides its services under the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Wellpoint, and Carelon brand names. The company was formerly known as Anthem, Inc. and changed its name to Elevance Health, Inc. in June 2022. Elevance Health, Inc. was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Elevance Health, Inc.

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) Friday closed down -0.01%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) closed down -0.32%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed down -0.05%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU25) fell -0.08%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU25) fell -0.10%.
Stocks gave up an early advance on Friday and settled slightly lower on mixed earnings results and weakness in health insurance providers. Netflix fell by more than 5% and weighed on technology stocks after the company forecasted full-year operating margins below consensus.
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Also, health insurance stocks retreated after Humana lost a lawsuit to reverse cuts to its Medicare bonus payments and after Elevance Health was downgraded.
Stocks maintained slight losses Friday afternoon after the Financial Times reported that President Trump is pushing for a minimum tariff of 15%-20% in any trade deal with the European Union (EU), as Mr. Trump has remained unmoved by the latest EU offer to reduce car tariffs. Also, the Financial Times said that EU trade commissioner Sefcovic gave a downbeat assessment of recent trade talks in Washington on Friday to EU ambassadors.
Stock indexes initially moved higher on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posting new record highs. Bullish factors included the stronger-than-expected housing starts report and generally upbeat earnings reports. Also, the University of Michigan's US July consumer sentiment index rose more than expected to a 5-month high.
Falling bond yields are supportive of stocks following dovish comments from Fed Governor Christopher Waller on Thursday evening, who stated that he supports a Fed interest rate cut at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting. Also, an easing of inflation expectations in Friday's University of Michigan's July inflation expectations report was bullish for T-notes and stocks. The 10-year T-note yield fell -2 bp to 4.43%.
US June housing starts rose +4.6% m/m to 1.321 million, stronger than expectations of 1.300 million. Also, June building permits, a proxy for future construction, unexpectedly rose +0.2% m/m to 1.397 million versus expectations of a -0.5% m/m decline to 1.387 million.
The University of Michigan's July US consumer sentiment index rose +1.1 to a 5-month high of 61.8, stronger than expectations of 61.5.
The University of Michigan's US July 1-year inflation expectations indicator fell to a 5-month low of +4.4%, better than expectations of no change at +5.0%. Also, the July 5-10 year inflation expectations indicator eased to a 5-month low of +3.6%, weaker than expectations of +3.9%.
Thursday evening, Fed Governor Christopher Waller said, "With inflation near target and the upside risks to inflation limited, we should not wait until the labor market deteriorates before we cut the policy rate. I believe it makes sense to cut the FOMC's policy rate by 25 basis points two weeks from now."
Recent trade news has put some downward pressure on stocks. President Trump said late Wednesday that he intends to send a tariff letter to more than 150 countries notifying them their tariff rates could be 10% or 15%, effective August 1, and that the group was "not big countries who don't do that much business with the US."
Also, President Trump last weekend announced that the US will impose 30% tariffs on US imports from the European Union and Mexico, effective August 1. Mr. Trump said last Thursday that a 35% tariff on some Canadian products would take effect on August 1, up from the current 25%. Last week, Mr. Trump imposed a 50% tariff on copper imports, which will include semi-finished goods, and stated that drug companies could face tariffs as high as 200% on imports if they don't relocate production to the US within the next year.
Federal funds futures prices are discounting the chances for a -25 bp rate cut at 5% at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting and 58% at the following meeting on September 16-17.
Earnings season began in earnest this week as big bank earnings results came in stronger than expected. Early results now show S&P 500 earnings are on track to rise +3.2% for the second quarter, better than the pre-season expectations of +2.8% y/y, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Also, only six of the eleven S&P 500 sectors are projected to post an increase in earnings, the fewest since Q1 of 2023, according to Yardeni Research.
Overseas stock markets on Friday settled mixed. The Euro Stoxx 50 closed down -0.33%. China's Shanghai Composite closed up +0.50%. Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 fell from a 2.5-week high and closed down -0.21%.
Interest Rates
September 10-year T-notes (ZNU25) on Friday closed up +8.5 ticks. The 10-year T-note yield fell -2.3 bp to 4.428%. T-notes rose Friday on dovish comments from Fed Governor Christopher Waller, who said he backs a Fed rate cut at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting. Also, falling inflation expectations in Friday's University of Michigan report were bullish for T-notes.
On the bearish side, Friday's US housing starts report was stronger than expected. Also, Friday's increase in the University of Michigan US July consumer sentiment to a 5-month high was negative for T-notes.
European government bond yields on Friday moved higher. The 10-year German bund yield rose +2.0 bp to 2.695%. The 10-year UK gilt yield climbed to a 1.5-month high of 4.684% and finished up +1.9 bp to 4.674%.
Eurozone May construction output fell -1.7% m/m, the biggest decline in nearly 2.5-years.
The German June PPI fell -1.3% y/y, right on expectations and the steepest pace of decline in 9 months.
Swaps are discounting the chances at 1% for a -25 bp rate cut by the ECB at the July 24 policy meeting.
US Stock Movers
Weakness in managed health care stocks weighed on the broader market Friday. Molina Healthcare (MOH) closed down more than -10% to lead losers in the S&P 500, and Elevance Health (ELV) closed down more than -8% after Leerink Partners downgraded the stock to market perform from outperform. Also, Centene (CNC) closed down more than -3%, and CVS Health Corp (CVS) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) closed down more than -2%. In addition, Humana (HUM) closed down more than -1% after it lost a lawsuit seeking to reverse cuts to its Medicare bonus payments.
Netflix (NFLX) closed down more than -5% after forecasting a full-year operating margin of 29.5%, below the consensus of 29.7%.
3M Co (MMM) closed down more than -3% to lead losers in the Dow Jones Industrials after cutting its full-year organic sales estimate to +2% from a previous forecast of +2% to +3%.
Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) closed down more than -36% after it said another patient died from acute liver failure after receiving one of its experimental gene therapies for a muscle disease.
Autoliv (ALV) closed down more than -4% after reporting Q2 adjusted operating margin of 9.30%, below the consensus of 9.35%.
Builders FirstSource (BLDR) closed down more than -3% after Zelman & Associates downgraded the stock to underperform.
American Express (AXP) closed down more than -2% after reporting Q2 total expenses of $12.90 billion, above the consensus of $12.73 billion.
Talen Energy (TLN) closed up more than +24% after acquiring gas-fired power plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio for $3.5 billion.
Invesco Ltd (IVZ) closed up more than +15% to lead gainers in the S&P 500 after it filed a proxy statement with the SEC seeking to convert the Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 into an open-ended fund from a unit investment trust.
Interactive Brokers Group (IBKR) closed up more than +7% after reporting Q2 total net interest income of $860 million, well above the consensus of $794.7 million.
Regions Financial (RF) closed up more than +6% after reporting Q2 net interest income of $1.27 billion, better than the consensus of $1.24 billion, and raising its full-year net interest income growth estimate to +3% to +5% from a previous estimate of +1% to +4%.
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) closed up more than +2% after Jefferies upgraded the stock to buy from hold with a price target of $145.
Norfolk Southern (NSC) closed up more than +2% on reports that Union Pacific is said to be exploring an acquisition of the company.
Charles Schwab (SCHW) closed up more than +2% after reporting Q2 net revenue of $5.85 billion, stronger than the consensus of $5.72 billion.
Earnings Reports (7/21/2025)
AGNC Investment Corp (AGNC), Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE), BOK Financial Corp (BOKF), Cleveland-Cliffs Inc (CLF), Crown Holdings Inc (CCK), Domino's Pizza Inc (DPZ), Equity LifeStyle Properties In (ELS), Medpace Holdings Inc (MEDP), NXP Semiconductors NV (NXPI), RLI Corp (RLI), Roper Technologies Inc (ROP), Steel Dynamics Inc (STLD), Verizon Communications Inc (VZ), W R Berkley Corp (WRB), Wintrust Financial Corp (WTFC), Zions Bancorp NA (ZION).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Stocks Finish Slightly Lower on Mixed Earnings Results

The directors of a company tend to have a unique inside view into the business, so when directors make major buys, investors are wise to take notice. Presumably the only reason a director of a company would choose to take their hard-earned cash and use it to buy stock in the open market, is that they expect to make money — maybe they find the stock very undervalued, or maybe they see exciting progress within the company, or maybe both. So in this series we look at the largest insider buys by company directors over the trailing six month period, one of which was a total of $2.4M by Gail Boudreaux, CEO at Elevance Health Inc (Symbol: ELV).
07/18/2025
Gail Boudreaux
President and CEO
8,500
$286.94
$2,438,951.30
Boudreaux's average cost works out to $286.94/share. In trading on Friday, bargain hunters could buy shares of Elevance Health Inc (Symbol: ELV) and achieve a cost basis lower than Boudreaux, with shares changing hands as low as $276.41 per share. Shares of Elevance Health Inc were changing hands at $282.91 at last check, trading down about 7.2% on Friday. The chart below shows the one year performance of ELV shares, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, ELV's low point in its 52 week range is $276.4139 per share, with $567.26 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $282.91.
The current annualized dividend paid by Elevance Health Inc is $6.84/share, currently paid in quarterly installments, and its most recent dividend has an upcoming ex-date of 09/10/2025. Below is a long-term dividend history chart for ELV, which can be of good help in judging whether the most recent dividend with approx. 2.3% annualized yield is likely to continue.
Click here to find out which other top insider buys by company directors you need to know about »
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Top Buys by Directors: Boudreaux's $2.4M Bet on ELV

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today down -0.08%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) is down -0.44%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -0.15%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU25) are down -0.14%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU25) are down -0.17%.
Stocks today gave up an early advance and turned lower as a -5% decline in Netflix weighed on technology stocks after the company forecasted below-consensus full-year operating margins. Also, the weakness in health insurance providers is weighing on the broader market today after Humana lost a lawsuit to reverse cuts to its Medicare bonus payments and after Elevance Health was downgraded.
Join 200K+ Subscribers: Find out why the midday Barchart Brief newsletter is a must-read for thousands daily.
Stock indexes initially moved higher, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posting new record highs. Bullish factors included the stronger-than-expected housing starts report and generally upbeat earnings reports. Also, the University of Michigan’s US July consumer sentiment index rose more than expected to a 5-month high.
Falling bond yields are supportive of stocks following dovish comments from Fed Governor Christopher Waller on Thursday evening, who stated that he supports a Fed interest rate cut at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting. Also, an easing of inflation expectations in today’s University of Michigan’s July inflation expectations report was bullish for T-notes and stocks. The 10-year T-note yield is down -3 bp to 4.42%.
US June housing starts rose +4.6% m/m to 1.321 million, stronger than expectations of 1.300 million. Also, June building permits, a proxy for future construction, unexpectedly rose +0.2% m/m to 1.397 million versus expectations of a -0.5% m/m decline to 1.387 million.
The University of Michigan’s July US consumer sentiment index rose +1.1 to a 5-month high of 61.8, stronger than expectations of 61.5.
The University of Michigan’s US July 1-year inflation expectations indicator fell to a 5-month low of +4.4%, better than expectations of no change at +5.0%. Also, the July 5-10 year inflation expectations indicator eased to a 5-month low of +3.6%, weaker than expectations of +3.9%.
Thursday evening, Fed Governor Christopher Waller said, “With inflation near target and the upside risks to inflation limited, we should not wait until the labor market deteriorates before we cut the policy rate. I believe it makes sense to cut the FOMC’s policy rate by 25 basis points two weeks from now.”
Recent trade news has put some downward pressure on stocks. President Trump said late Wednesday that he intends to send a tariff letter to more than 150 countries notifying them their tariff rates could be 10% or 15%, effective August 1, and that the group was “not big countries who don’t do that much business with the US.”
Also, President Trump last weekend announced that the US will impose 30% tariffs on US imports from the European Union and Mexico, effective August 1. Mr. Trump said last Thursday that a 35% tariff on some Canadian products would take effect on August 1, up from the current 25%. Last week, Mr. Trump imposed a 50% tariff on copper imports, which will include semi-finished goods, and stated that drug companies could face tariffs as high as 200% on imports if they don’t relocate production to the US within the next year.
Federal funds futures prices are discounting the chances for a -25 bp rate cut at 5% at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting and 58% at the following meeting on September 16-17.
Earnings season began in earnest this week as big bank earnings results came in stronger than expected. Early results now show S&P 500 earnings are on track to rise +3.2% for the second quarter, better than the pre-season expectations of +2.8% y/y, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Also, only six of the eleven S&P 500 sectors are projected to post an increase in earnings, the fewest since Q1 of 2023, according to Yardeni Research.
Overseas stock markets today are mixed. The Euro Stoxx 50 is down -0.42%. China’s Shanghai Composite closed up +0.50%. Japan’s Nikkei Stock 225 fell from a 2.5-week high and closed down -0.21%.
Interest Rates
September 10-year T-notes (ZNU25) today are up +9 ticks. The 10-year T-note yield is down -2.0 bp to 4.432%. T-notes are climbing today on dovish comments from Fed Governor Christopher Waller, who said he backs a Fed rate cut at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting. Also, falling inflation expectations in today’s University of Michigan report were bullish for T-notes.
On the bearish side, today’s US housing starts report was stronger than expected. Also, today’s increase in the University of Michigan US July consumer sentiment to a 5-month high was negative for T-notes.
European government bond yields today are moving higher. The 10-year German bund yield is up +2.1 bp to 2.696%. The 10-year UK gilt yield climbed to a 1.5-month high of 4.680% and is up +2.1 bp to 4.676%.
Eurozone May construction output fell -1.7% m/m, the biggest decline in nearly 2.5-years.
The German June PPI fell -1.3% y/y, right on expectations and the steepest pace of decline in 9 months.
Swaps are discounting the chances at 1% for a -25 bp rate cut by the ECB at the July 24 policy meeting.
US Stock Movers
Weakness in managed health care stocks is weighing on the broader market today. Elevance Health (ELV) is down more than -5% to lead losers in the S&P 500 after Leerink Partners downgraded the stock to market perform from outperform. Also, Humana (HUM) is down more than -2% after it lost a lawsuit seeking to reverse cuts to its Medicare bonus payments. In addition, Molina Healthcare (MOH) is down more than -4%, and Centene (CNC) and CVS Health Corp (CVS) are down more than -1%.
Netflix (NFLX) is down more than -5% to lead losers in the Nasdaq 100 after forecasting a full-year operating margin of 29.5%, below the consensus of 29.7%.
American Express (AXP) is down more than -3% to lead losers in the Dow Jones Industrials after reporting Q2 total expenses of $12.90 billion, above the consensus of $12.73 billion.
3M Co (MMM) is down more than -3% after cutting its full-year organic sales estimate to +2% from a previous forecast of +2% to +3%.
Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) is down more than -18% after it said another patient died from acute liver failure after receiving one of its experimental gene therapies for a muscle disease.
Autoliv (ALV) is down more than -4% after reporting Q2 adjusted operating margin of 9.30%, below the consensus of 9.35%.
Builders FirstSource (BLDR) is down more than -2% after Zelman & Associates downgraded the stock to underperform.
Talen Energy (TLN) is up more than +22% after acquiring gas-fired power plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio for $3.5 billion.
Invesco Ltd (IVZ) is up more than +11% to lead gainers in the S&P 500 after it filed a proxy statement with the SEC seeking to convert the Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 into an open-ended fund from a unit investment trust.
Interactive Brokers Group (IBKR) is up more than +6% after reporting Q2 total net interest income of $860 million, well above the consensus of $794.7 million.
Regions Financial (RF) is up more than +4% after reporting Q2 net interest income of $1.27 billion, better than the consensus of $1.24 billion, and raising its full-year net interest income growth estimate to +3% to +5% from a previous estimate of +1% to +4%.
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is up more than +3% after Jefferies upgraded the stock to buy from hold with a price target of $145.
Norfolk Southern (NSC) is up more than +3% on reports that Union Pacific is said to be exploring an acquisition of the company.
Charles Schwab (SCHW) is up more than +2% after reporting Q2 net revenue of $5.85 billion, stronger than the consensus of $5.72 billion.
Earnings Reports (7/18/2025)
3M Co (MMM), Ally Financial Inc (ALLY), American Express Co (AXP), Charles Schwab Corp/The (SCHW), Comerica Inc (CMA), Euronet Worldwide Inc (EEFT), Huntington Bancshares Inc/OH (HBAN), MarketAxess Holdings Inc (MKTX), Regions Financial Corp (RF), Schlumberger NV (SLB), Southern Copper Corp (SCCO), Truist Financial Corp (TFC).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Stocks Pressured by Weakness in Netflix and Health Insurers

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.18%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) is down -0.18%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is up +0.17%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU25) are up +0.12%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU25) are up +0.17%.
Stocks are slightly higher today, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 indexes posting new record highs. Growing confidence in the US economic outlook is supporting equities, and upbeat corporate earnings results are boosting risk-on sentiment in asset markets. Today’s economic news showed that US June housing starts and building permits climbed more than expected, a positive factor for economic growth.
Join 200K+ Subscribers: Find out why the midday Barchart Brief newsletter is a must-read for thousands daily.
Falling bond yields are contributing to positive sentiment in stocks following dovish comments from Fed Governor Christopher Waller on Thursday evening, who stated that he supports a Fed interest rate cut at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting. The 10-year T-note yield is down -3 bp to 4.42%.
US June housing starts rose +4.6% m/m to 1.321 million, stronger than expectations of 1.300 million. Also, June building permits, a proxy for future construction, unexpectedly rose +0.2% m/m to 1.397 million versus expectations of a -0.5% m/m decline to 1.387 million.
Thursday evening, Fed Governor Christopher Waller said, “With inflation near target and the upside risks to inflation limited, we should not wait until the labor market deteriorates before we cut the policy rate. I believe it makes sense to cut the FOMC’s policy rate by 25 basis points two weeks from now.”
Recent trade news has put some downward pressure on stocks. President Trump said late Wednesday that he intends to send a tariff letter to more than 150 countries notifying them their tariff rates could be 10% or 15%, effective August 1, and that the group was “not big countries who don’t do that much business with the US.”
Also, President Trump last weekend announced that the US will impose 30% tariffs on US imports from the European Union and Mexico, effective August 1. Mr. Trump said last Thursday that a 35% tariff on some Canadian products would take effect on August 1, up from the current 25%. Last week, Mr. Trump imposed a 50% tariff on copper imports, which will include semi-finished goods, and stated that drug companies could face tariffs as high as 200% on imports if they don’t relocate production to the US within the next year.
Federal funds futures prices are discounting the chances for a -25 bp rate cut at 5% at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting and 58% at the following meeting on September 16-17.
The markets will focus on any fresh news regarding tariffs or trade deals during the remainder of this week. Later today, the University of Michigan’s US July consumer sentiment index is expected to climb +0.8 to 61.5.
Earnings season began in earnest this week as big bank earnings results came in stronger than expected. Early results now show S&P 500 earnings are on track to rise +3.2% for the second quarter, better than the pre-season expectations of +2.8% y/y, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Also, only six of the eleven S&P 500 sectors are projected to post an increase in earnings, the fewest since Q1 of 2023, according to Yardeni Research.
Overseas stock markets today are mixed. The Euro Stoxx 50 is up +0.05%. China’s Shanghai Composite closed up +0.50%. Japan’s Nikkei Stock 225 fell from a 2.5-week high and closed down -0.21%.
Interest Rates
September 10-year T-notes (ZNU25) today are up +10 ticks. The 10-year T-note yield is down -3.0 bp to 4.422%. T-notes are climbing today on dovish comments from Fed Governor Christopher Waller, who said he backs a Fed rate cut at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting. T-notes also have carryover support from Wednesday, when President Trump said he has “no plans” on firing Fed Chair Powell.
On the bearish side, today’s reports on US Jun housing starts and building permits were stronger than expected. Also, rising inflation expectations are negative for T-notes after the US 10-year breakeven inflation expectations rate rose to a 4.75-month high today of 2.450%.
European government bond yields today are moving higher. The 10-year German bund yield is up +2.0 bp to 2.695%. The 10-year UK gilt yield climbed to a 1.5-month high of 4.680% and is up +0.9 bp to 4.665%.
Eurozone May construction output fell -1.7% m/m, the biggest decline in nearly 2.5-years.
The German June PPI fell -1.3% y/y, right on expectations and the steepest pace of decline in 9 months.
Swaps are discounting the chances at 1% for a -25 bp rate cut by the ECB at the July 24 policy meeting.
US Stock Movers
Talen Energy (TLN) is up more than +18% after acquiring gas-fired power plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio for $3.5 billion.
Interactive Brokers Group (IBKR) is up more than +9% after reporting Q2 total net interest income of $860 million, well above the consensus of $794.7 million.
Regions Financial (RF) is up more than +5% after reporting Q2 net interest income of $1.27 billion, better than the consensus of $1.24 billion, and raising its full-year net interest income growth estimate to +3% to +5% from a previous estimate of +1% to +4%.
Charles Schwab (SCHW) is up more than +3% after reporting Q2 net revenue of $5.85 billion, stronger than the consensus of $5.72 billion.
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is up more than +3% after Jefferies upgraded the stock to buy from hold with a price target of $145.
Norfolk Southern (NSC) is up more than +2% on reports that Union Pacific is said to be exploring an acquisition of the company.
Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) is down more than -14% after it said another patient died from acute liver failure after receiving one of its experimental gene therapies for a muscle disease.
Elevance Health (ELV) is down more than -4% to lead losers in the S&P 500 after Leerink Partners downgraded the stock to market perform from outperform.
Netflix (NFLX) is down more than -4% to lead losers in the Nasdaq 100 after forecasting a full-year operating margin of 29.5%, below the consensus of 29.7%.
Autoliv (ALV) is down more than -3% after reporting Q2 adjusted operating margin of 9.30%, below the consensus of 9.35%.
Builders FirstSource (BLDR) is down more than -2% after Zelman & Associates downgraded the stock to underperform.
3M Co (MMM) is down more than -1% after cutting its full-year organic sales estimate to +2% from a previous forecast of +2% to +3%.
Earnings Reports (7/18/2025)
3M Co (MMM), Ally Financial Inc (ALLY), American Express Co (AXP), Charles Schwab Corp/The (SCHW), Comerica Inc (CMA), Euronet Worldwide Inc (EEFT), Huntington Bancshares Inc/OH (HBAN), MarketAxess Holdings Inc (MKTX), Regions Financial Corp (RF), Schlumberger NV (SLB), Southern Copper Corp (SCCO), Truist Financial Corp (TFC).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Stocks See Support from Dovish Fed Official Comment

In early trading on Friday, shares of Invesco topped the list of the day's best performing components of the S&P 500 index, trading up 6.7%. Year to date, Invesco registers a 5.4% gain.
And the worst performing S&P 500 component thus far on the day is Ansys, trading down 4.7%. Ansys is showing a gain of 11.0% looking at the year to date performance.
Two other components making moves today are Elevance Health, trading down 4.6%, and Regions Financial, trading up 4.8% on the day.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

S&P 500 Movers: ANSS, IVZ

Shares of Cintas Corporation (CTAS) gained 3.7% after the company reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings of $1.09 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.07 per share.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc.’s (CFG) shares gained 3.9% after the company reported second-quarter 2025 earnings per share of $0.92 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.88 per share.
Shares of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV) jumped 3.8% after the company reported second-quarter 2025 earnings of $6.51 per share, outpacing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.54 per share.
Elevance Health, Inc.’s (ELV) shares plummeted 12.2% after the company reported second-quarter 2025 earnings of $8.84 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.16 per share.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the months ahead. They include
Stock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and Resilience
Stock #2: Bullish Signs Signaling to Buy the Dip
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Stock #4: Leader In a Red-Hot Industry Poised for Growth
Stock #5: Modern Omni-Channel Platform Coiled to Spring
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +171%, +209% and +232%.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Company News for Jul 18, 2025

Rising prescription drug costs remain a top healthcare concern, with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) facing heightened scrutiny for their role in managing prescription drug benefits for insurers and health plans. CVS Health’s CVS Caremark business recently secured a new pharmacy benefits contract with The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) — the largest public pension fund in the United States. The five-year agreement replaces OptumRx, UnitedHealth Group’s UNH PBM, which had served CalPERS members over the past nine years.
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, Caremark will provide outpatient prescription drug benefits to nearly 587,000 members enrolled in Basic or Medicare HMO and PPO plans, which is roughly 40% of CalPERS’ 1.5 million beneficiaries. CVS will also work closely with CalPERS to develop a range of options for managing formulary changes that could affect copays or require switching to an equally effective alternative.
Essentially, CVS Caremark was selected over other vendors for its ability to deliver more affordable drug benefits, and its commitment to strong contract terms around accountability, transparency and groundbreaking financial guarantees. The company puts $250 million at risk if it fails to meet targets for controlling pharmacy benefit costs and delivering clinical quality outcomes tied to improving care for high blood pressure and diabetes. The contract positions CVS Caremark at the forefront of CalPERS’ efforts to create a model that can serve as “a blueprint for purchasers nationwide”.
This year, CVS Health also opted to prefer Wegovy over Zepbound on its commercial template formularies. The move is designed to promote competition in reducing drug costs and enable broader, more affordable coverage for weight management medications. Clients using CVS Caremark’s template formularies could save 10-15% annually in the anti-obesity medication space as a result of this strategic change.
Updates From CVS Health’s PBM Peers
The global PBM market is expanding, with CVS Caremark, OptumRx and Express Scripts (Cigna) dominating the market. Other prominent players include Elevance Health ELV, which offers pharmacy services through its CarelonRx unit. ELV had just released its second quarter-2025 earnings results, with higher CarelonRx product revenues driving a 33% year-over-year increase in Carelon operating gains. The growth in CarelonRx operating revenues was mainly due to higher prescription volume from rising pharmacy membership and contributions from recent acquisitions.
Humana HUM, too, operates a PBM business under its Insurance segment. Humana recently announced a partnership with healthcare software company Epic, becoming the first health insurer to integrate health plan information directly into the MyChart accounts. This enables Humana Medicare Advantage members to access their insurance details, such as vital coverage information, benefits, contacts and other resources, in the same platform where they manage the rest of their care.
CVS’ Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
In the past year, CVS Health shares have risen 6.3% against the industry’s 17.7% fall.
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CVS shares are trading at a forward one-year price-to-earnings ratio of 9.60 compared to the industry average of 14.00. The stock carries a Value Score of A.
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Analyst estimates for the company’s 2025 and 2026 earnings are showing an upward trend.
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CVS stock currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
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CVS Health's Caremark to Lead CalPERS' PBM Vision: What's at Stake?

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) Thursday closed up +0.54%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) closed up +0.52%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed up +0.74%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU25) rose +0.59%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU25) rose +0.77%.
Stocks rallied on Thursday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indexes posting new record highs. Signs that the US economy is holding up, despite tariff uncertainty, boosted stocks. Positive economic news Thursday included a decline in weekly jobless claims to a 3-month low, a stronger-than-expected retail sales report, and a rise in the Philadelphia Fed index to a 5-month high.
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Stocks added to their gains Thursday afternoon on dovish comments from San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly, who said the most recent set of rate projections from Fed officials, issued in June, offered a "reasonable outlook" in pointing to two 25 bp rate cuts by year's end. She added that the Fed should not wait too long before moving on rates, because if they wait until inflation is 2%, they've "likely injured the economy in some way that was completely unnecessary."
On the negative side, health insurers retreated on Thursday, led by a -12% plunge in Elevance Health after the company cut its earnings outlook for the year. Also, hawkish comments from Fed Governor Adriana Kugler were bearish for stocks when she said the Fed should keep interest rates on hold "for some time," citing accelerating inflation as tariffs start to boost prices.
US weekly initial unemployment claims unexpectedly fell -7,000 to a 3-month low of 221,000, showing a stronger labor market than expectations of an increase to 233,000.
US June retail sales rose +0.6% m/m, stronger than expectations of +0.1% m/m, and June retail sales ex-autos rose +0.5% m/m, stronger than expectations of +0.3% m/m.
The US June import price index ex-petroleum was unchanged m/m, weaker than expectations of +0.2% m/m.
The US July Philadelphia Fed business outlook survey rose +19.9 to a 5-month high of 15.9, stronger than expectations of -1.0.
The US July NAHB housing market index rose +1 to 33, right on expectations.
On the trade front, President Trump said late Wednesday that he intends to send a tariff letter to more than 150 countries notifying them their tariff rates could be 10% or 15%, effective August 1, and that the group was "not big countries who don't do that much business with the US."
Also, signs that the US could ease some of its export restrictions on semiconductor chips to China are bullish for chip makers. Commerce Secretary Lutnick said Nvidia could soon resume sales of its less advanced H20 chips to China, and Advanced Micro Devices received similar assurances from the Commerce Department, a sign that the US may be in the process of negotiating a grand trade deal with China. Treasury Secretary Bessent is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart, Vice Premier He Lifeng, within "the next couple of weeks" and signaled the US will likely extend an August 12 deadline for the easing of sky-high tariffs.
However, stocks were undercut by negative trade news that emerged last week and during this past weekend. Over the weekend, President Trump announced that the US will impose 30% tariffs on US imports from the European Union and Mexico, effective August 1. Mr. Trump said last Thursday that a 35% tariff on some Canadian products would take effect on August 1, up from the current 25%. Last week, Mr. Trump imposed a 50% tariff on copper imports, which will include semi-finished goods, and stated that drug companies could face tariffs as high as 200% on imports if they don't relocate production to the US within the next year.
Federal funds futures prices are discounting the chances for a -25 bp rate cut at 3% at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting and 58% at the following meeting on September 16-17.
The markets will focus on any fresh news regarding tariffs or trade deals during the remainder of this week. On Friday, June housing starts are expected to climb +3.6% m/m to 1.300 million, and June building permits are expected to slip -0.5% m/m to 1.387 million. Also, the University of Michigan's US July consumer sentiment index is expected to climb +0.8 to 61.5.
Earnings season began in earnest this week with a focus on big bank earnings results. The consensus is for S&P 500 companies to show Q2 earnings growth of +2.8% y/y, the smallest increase in two years, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Also, only six of the eleven S&P 500 sectors are projected to post an increase in earnings, the fewest since Q1 of 2023, according to Yardeni Research.
Overseas stock markets on Thursday settled higher. The Euro Stoxx 50 closed up +1.49%. China's Shanghai Composite closed up +0.37%. Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 closed up +0.60%.
Interest Rates
September 10-year T-notes (ZNU25) on Thursday closed down -3.5 ticks. The 10-year T-note yield rose +0.8 bp to 4.463%. T-notes on Thursday posted modest losses following stronger-than-expected US economic news, including June retail sales, weekly initial unemployment claims, and the July Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey, which signaled a hawkish tone for Fed policy. Also, Thursday's rally in the S&P 500 to a new all-time high reduced safe-haven demand for T-notes. In addition, hawkish comments from Fed Governor Adriana Kugler weighed on T-notes when she said the Fed should keep interest rates on hold "for some time." Finally, rising inflation expectations undercut T-notes when the 10-year breakeven inflation rate rose to a 4.75-month high of 2.450% on Thursday.
Losses in T-notes were limited Thursday on carryover support from late Wednesday when President Trump said he has "no plans" on firing Fed Chair Powell. T-notes also found support on signs of easing price pressures after Thursday's news showed the June import price index ex-petroleum rose less than expected.
European government bond yields on Thursday were mixed. The 10-year German bund yield fell -1.3 bp to 2.675%. The 10-year UK gilt yield rose to a 6-week high of 4.678% and finished up +1.7 bp to 4.655%.
Swaps are discounting the chances at 1% for a -25 bp rate cut by the ECB at the July 24 policy meeting.
US Stock Movers
United Airlines Holdings (UAL) closed up more than +3% to lead airline stocks higher after CEO Kirby said the second half of the year has become more predictable and the company has potential "upside" to beat its earnings targets as customers returned to booking flights. Also, Alaska Air Group (ALK) closed up more than +3% and American Airlines Group (AAL) closed up more than +2%. In addition, Delta Air Lines (DAL) closed up more than +1%.
PepsiCo (PEP) closed up more than +7% to lead gainers in the Nasdaq 100 after reporting Q2 net revenue of $22.73 billion, above the consensus of $22.32 billion.
Snap-on (SNA) closed up more than +7% after reporting Q2 net sales of $1.18 billion, stronger than the consensus of $1.16 billion.
Steven Madden Ltd (SHOO) closed up more than +6% after Citigroup upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $32.
CSX Corp (CSX) closed up more than +4% after Semafor reported that Union Pacific is exploring an acquisition of the company.
Travelers Cos (TRV) closed up more than +3% to lead gainers in the Dow Jones Industrials after reporting Q1 core EPS of $6.51, well above the consensus of $3.60.
Mondelez International (MDLZ) closed up more than +3% after Jefferies upgraded the stock to buy from hold with a price target of $78.
Health insurance providers are sliding today, led by a -12% plunge in Elevance Health (ELV) to lead losers in the S&P 500 after cutting its earnings outlook for the year to "approximately" $30 per share, well below a previous forecast of $34.15 to $34.85 per share. Also, Molina Healthcare (MOH) closed down more than -5% and Centene (CNC) closed down more than -4%. In addition, Cigna Group (CI) closed down more than -2% and Humana (HUM) closed down more than -1%. Finally, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) closed down more than -1% to lead losers in the Dow Jones Industrials.
Sonic Automotive (SAH) closed down -10% after JPMorgan Chase downgraded the stock to underweight from overweight with a price target of $72.
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) closed down more than -8% after reporting Q2 organic sales of +6.90%, below the consensus of +7.03% and forecasting full-year organic sales of +6% to +7%, weaker than the consensus of +7.37%.
Starwood Property Trust (STWD) closed down more than -5% after selling over 25.5 million shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering overnight between $19.91 to $20.33 a share, below Wednesday's closing price of $20.85.
Shake Shack (SHAK) closed down more than -1% after Jeffries downgraded the stock to underperform from hold with a price target of $120.
Zoetis (ZTS) closed down -1% after Leerink Partners downgraded the stock to market perform from outperform.
Earnings Reports (7/18/2025)
3M Co (MMM), Ally Financial Inc (ALLY), American Express Co (AXP), Charles Schwab Corp/The (SCHW), Comerica Inc (CMA), Euronet Worldwide Inc (EEFT), Huntington Bancshares Inc/OH (HBAN), MarketAxess Holdings Inc (MKTX), Regions Financial Corp (RF), Schlumberger NV (SLB), Southern Copper Corp (SCCO), Truist Financial Corp (TFC).
On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Rally to Record Highs on a Resilient US Economy

Looking at the sectors faring worst as of midday Thursday, shares of Healthcare companies are underperforming other sectors, showing a 0.2% loss. Within that group, Abbott Laboratories (Symbol: ABT) and Molina Healthcare Inc (Symbol: MOH) are two of the day's laggards, showing a loss of 8.4% and 4.8%, respectively. Among healthcare ETFs, one ETF following the sector is the Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (Symbol: XLV), which is down 1.2% on the day, and down 2.69% year-to-date. Abbott Laboratories, meanwhile, is up 8.30% year-to-date, and Molina Healthcare Inc, is down 29.33% year-to-date. Combined, ABT and MOH make up approximately 4.5% of the underlying holdings of XLV.
The next worst performing sector is the Financial sector, up 0.3%. Among large Financial stocks, Elevance Health Inc (Symbol: ELV) and Prologis Inc (Symbol: PLD) are the most notable, showing a loss of 11.5% and 3.2%, respectively. One ETF closely tracking Financial stocks is the Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF), which is up 0.6% in midday trading, and up 8.98% on a year-to-date basis. Elevance Health Inc, meanwhile, is down 16.40% year-to-date, and Prologis Inc is up 2.75% year-to-date.
Comparing these stocks and ETFs on a trailing twelve month basis, below is a relative stock price performance chart, with each of the symbols shown in a different color as labeled in the legend at the bottom:
Here's a snapshot of how the S&P 500 components within the various sectors are faring in afternoon trading on Thursday. As you can see, eight sectors are up on the day, while one sector is down.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Thursday Sector Laggards: Healthcare, Financial

Looking at options trading activity among components of the S&P 500 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Elevance Health Inc (Symbol: ELV), where a total volume of 16,131 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 1.6 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 84.9% of ELV's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 1.9 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $310 strike call option expiring July 18, 2025, with 1,429 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 142,900 underlying shares of ELV. Below is a chart showing ELV's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $310 strike highlighted in orange:
KKR & CO Inc (Symbol: KKR) saw options trading volume of 25,149 contracts, representing approximately 2.5 million underlying shares or approximately 71.3% of KKR's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 3.5 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $150 strike call option expiring August 15, 2025, with 3,966 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 396,600 underlying shares of KKR. Below is a chart showing KKR's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $150 strike highlighted in orange:
And The Charles Schwab Corporation (Symbol: SCHW) saw options trading volume of 52,024 contracts, representing approximately 5.2 million underlying shares or approximately 63.6% of SCHW's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 8.2 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $100 strike call option expiring July 18, 2025, with 23,989 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 2.4 million underlying shares of SCHW. Below is a chart showing SCHW's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $100 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for ELV options, KKR options, or SCHW options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Preferreds of SAFE Dividend Stocks
ALPN YTD Return
Top 10 Hedge Funds Holding JBHT
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Elevance Health, Inc.

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