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Value Based Care And Data Integration Will Advance US Healthcare

Published
10 Sep 24
Updated
03 Dec 25
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AnalystConsensusTarget's Fair Value
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1Y
-47.4%
7D
-1.0%

Author's Valuation

US$40.2543.3% undervalued intrinsic discount

AnalystConsensusTarget Fair Value

Last Update 03 Dec 25

Fair value Decreased 5.01%

ASTH: Future Full-Risk Conversions Will Unlock Underappreciated Medicare Advantage Upside

Astrana Health's analyst price target has been revised modestly lower, with fair value decreasing from approximately $42.38 to $40.25. Analysts are factoring in a slightly reduced future P/E multiple and near term uncertainty around full risk contract conversions, despite still underappreciated longer term Medicare Advantage upside.

Analyst Commentary

Street research reflects a mixed but generally constructive stance on Astrana Health, with modest target cuts framed against what is still viewed as a favorable multi year growth setup. Recent commentary highlights both the potential for meaningful upside from Medicare Advantage and the execution risks tied to full risk contract conversions.

Bullish Takeaways

  • Bullish analysts see the current valuation embedding a conservative view of fiscal 2026 EBITDA, suggesting upside if management delivers even incremental progress on its full risk strategy.
  • Upside from Medicare Advantage in 2026 is viewed as underappreciated in the share price, with investors yet to fully discount the earnings leverage from higher acuity, risk bearing lives.
  • The lowered price targets still sit meaningfully above the current fair value estimate. This indicates confidence that medium term growth and margin expansion can re rate the multiple over time.
  • Management’s roadmap for contract conversions in early 2026 provides a tangible catalyst path. Bullish analysts believe this can help rebuild confidence once early data points come through.

Bearish Takeaways

  • Bearish analysts view the delays and uncertainty around full risk contract conversions as a material execution overhang. They see this as warranting a lower near term valuation multiple.
  • Low conviction in the timing and magnitude of fiscal 2026 EBITDA has led to more cautious modeling assumptions, with limited credit given to management’s conversion targets until proof points emerge.
  • Near term visibility into first half 2026 trends is considered insufficient. This raises the risk that further slippage in operational milestones could pressure both earnings estimates and the stock.
  • Some analysts are concerned that investor confidence will only recover after clear evidence of successful risk transitions. They note this may cap multiple expansion in the interim, even if the long term Medicare Advantage thesis remains intact.

What's in the News

  • Astrana Health updated its 2025 earnings guidance and now expects total revenue of $3,100 million to $3,180 million.

Valuation Changes

  • Fair Value: reduced modestly from approximately $42.38 to $40.25, reflecting a slightly more conservative outlook.
  • Discount Rate: edged down marginally from about 7.40 percent to 7.33 percent, implying a small decrease in perceived risk or required return.
  • Revenue Growth: increased slightly from roughly 13.69 percent to 13.96 percent, indicating a modestly stronger top line outlook.
  • Net Profit Margin: dipped marginally from around 1.49 percent to 1.48 percent, signaling a near unchanged, slightly lower profitability expectation.
  • Future P/E: declined from approximately 41.28x to 39.13x, suggesting a slightly lower valuation multiple applied to Astrana Health's forward earnings.

Key Takeaways

  • Transition to value-based care contracts and strategic acquisitions are driving higher-quality revenue, improved retention, and positioning the company for sustainable growth.
  • Investments in proprietary technology and operational integration support better cost control, margin expansion, and increased competitiveness in a changing healthcare landscape.
  • Heavy reliance on government programs, integration challenges, competitive pressures, and rising regulatory costs threaten Astrana Health's profitability, growth, and long-term financial stability.

Catalysts

About Astrana Health
    A healthcare management company, provides medical care services in the United States.
What are the underlying business or industry changes driving this perspective?
  • Continued transition to full risk, value-based care contracts (now 78% of revenue, up from 60% YoY) is driving recurring, higher-quality revenue streams and improved patient retention, positioning Astrana to benefit from rising demand for coordinated, efficient healthcare as the U.S. population ages-likely supporting both revenue growth and sustainable margin expansion over time.
  • Sustained investment and rapid integration of proprietary technology platforms and data infrastructure (including AI-driven capabilities) are enabling better cost control, real-time utilization management, and operational leverage, which should contribute to further EBITDA margin expansion as scale increases and as new geographies ramp.
  • Astrana's acquisition and successful early integration of Prospect Health are creating potential for significant operational synergies ($12–$15M targeted over 12–18 months, with upside), broader scale, and increased bargaining power with payers, all of which are expected to enhance top-line growth and earnings power going forward.
  • Long-term tailwinds from regulatory and payer shifts towards alternative payment models and value-based healthcare are expanding the addressable market and favor operators with mature, risk-bearing platforms like Astrana, setting the stage for durable revenue and profit growth as national healthcare expenditure rises.
  • The ability to consistently deliver industry-leading medical cost trend control and build trusted partnerships with payers differentiates Astrana from competitors and should support higher contract renewal rates, lower member churn, and net margin resilience even in volatile or cost-constrained healthcare environments.

Astrana Health Earnings and Revenue Growth

Astrana Health Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

How have these above catalysts been quantified?
  • Analysts are assuming Astrana Health's revenue will grow by 23.3% annually over the next 3 years.
  • Analysts assume that profit margins will increase from 1.0% today to 3.3% in 3 years time.
  • Analysts expect earnings to reach $148.7 million (and earnings per share of $3.0) by about September 2028, up from $25.3 million today.
  • In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 18.7x on those 2028 earnings, down from 59.8x today. This future PE is lower than the current PE for the US Healthcare industry at 21.0x.
  • Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to grow by 1.64% per year for the next 3 years.
  • To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 6.78%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

Astrana Health Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Astrana Health Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

What could happen that would invalidate this narrative?
  • Astrana Health's substantial Medicaid exposure (about 28–30% of revenue) faces long-term risk from legislative and funding changes (e.g., One Big Beautiful Bill Act) and demographic shifts (e.g., changes in eligibility and undocumented populations), potentially driving lower enrollment, unfavorable acuity mix, and mid-single-digit margin compression-directly impacting revenue growth and net margins.
  • Heavy reliance on government payers (Medicare Advantage and Medicaid) creates significant reimbursement rate risk; policy changes or rate increases not keeping pace with medical or utilization trends could pressure long-term earnings and lead to more volatile profitability.
  • Execution risk exists in integrating large acquisitions such as Prospect Health, especially achieving targeted synergies, standardizing operations, and technology adoption-failure to deliver or unforeseen costs could dilute net margins and EBITDA progression.
  • Consolidation and intensifying competition from larger, tech-enabled, or better-capitalized health systems may limit Astrana Health's pricing power, contract rates, and patient/member growth, straining both top-line expansion and operating earnings over time.
  • Anticipated ongoing increases in regulatory scrutiny, compliance costs (including data privacy and value-based care complexity), and healthcare consumer price sensitivity could cap price increases and raise expenses-compressing free cash flow and long-term profitability.

Valuation

How have all the factors above been brought together to estimate a fair value?
  • The analysts have a consensus price target of $43.889 for Astrana Health based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of $54.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just $35.0.
  • In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be $4.5 billion, earnings will come to $148.7 million, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 18.7x, assuming you use a discount rate of 6.8%.
  • Given the current share price of $30.26, the analyst price target of $43.89 is 31.1% higher.
  • We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.

How well do narratives help inform your perspective?

Disclaimer

AnalystConsensusTarget is a tool utilizing a Large Language Model (LLM) that ingests data on consensus price targets, forecasted revenue and earnings figures, as well as the transcripts of earnings calls to produce qualitative analysis. The narratives produced by AnalystConsensusTarget are general in nature and are based solely on analyst data and publicly-available material published by the respective companies. These scenarios are not indicative of the company's future performance and are exploratory in nature. Simply Wall St has no position in the company(s) mentioned. Simply Wall St may provide the securities issuer or related entities with website advertising services for a fee, on an arm's length basis. These relationships have no impact on the way we conduct our business, the content we host, or how our content is served to users. The price targets and estimates used are consensus data, and do not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and they do not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Note that AnalystConsensusTarget's analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

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