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Analysts attended earnings calls in the third quarter armed with questions for healthcare and consumer companies about the potential effect on their sales from the growing popularity of these drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists. A Reuters analysis of earnings transcripts for the third quarter showed "GLP-1" or alternatives like "obesity" or "weight-loss medications" were mentioned 256 times across 29 U.S. and European healthcare and consumer companies. That's more than double the mentions for the second quarter, when those phrases came up 127 times. While some consumer companies have talked about factors such as fewer calories being consumed, "these kind of large extrapolations" seem to be a bit of a stretch, said BMO Capital analyst Evan Seigerman. For big pharma manufacturers like Pfizer (PFE.N) and Amgen (AMGN.O), analyst questions were aimed at their obesity drug candidates.

Persons: Lilly, George Frey, Jeff Jonas, it's, Eli Lilly's, John Furner, Mondelez, Eli Lilly, Evan Seigerman, LVMH, Rajesh Kumar, Jonas, Bhanvi Satija, Savyata Mishra, Arpan Varghese, David Gaffen, Shounak Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, REUTERS, Gabelli, Novo, Walmart, Walmart U.S, Hershey, Truist Securities, Krispy, BMO Capital, Danish, pharma, Pfizer, Devices, HSBC, Thomson Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S, United States, Novo, Bengaluru

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Rivian Automotive (RIVN.O) said on Monday that CEO RJ Scaringe would directly oversee all product development effective immediately as the electric-vehicle maker gears up to unveil and launch its smaller and cheaper vehicle family. Chief Product Development Officer Nick Kalayjian would move to the role of executive vice president, vehicle engineering and propulsion before transitioning to an advisory role, the company said. "It's a big year for product for Rivian, so RJ is doubling down on the introduction of our new technologies in 2024 and the design and development of R2," a spokesperson for Rivian told Reuters. The company's product reporting structure will include software, autonomy, design, vehicle, electrical, propulsion and programs categories, Rivian said. "I know that (Scaringe) spending more time working with our product teams will create significant value for all of us and our shareholders," Kalayjian, who joined Rivian in 2020, said in another internal email seen by Reuters.

Persons: RJ Scaringe, Nick Kalayjian, Rivian, Nick, Scaringe, Tesla, Elon Musk, Kalayjian, Abhirup Roy, Bhanvi, Shilpi Majumdar, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Rivian, RJ, Reuters, General Motors, Ford, Thomson Locations: Rivian, San Francisco, Bengaluru

The logo of Lilly is seen on a wall of the Lilly France company unit, part of the Eli Lilly and Co drugmaker group, in Fegersheim near Strasbourg, France, February 1, 2018. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler Acquire Licensing RightsNov 17 (Reuters) - Retail flows into Eli Lilly (LLY.N) spiked to a more than two-year high in November, as small investors rushed to buy the stock after the U.S. pharma major received a highly anticipated approval for its weight-loss drug Zepbound. Lilly and Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) - seen as leaders in a potential $100 billion obesity treatment market - have helped rekindle retail investor interest in the healthcare sector. "During the COVID period, retail investors were piling into healthcare because of the vaccines and after that there was a bit of a hangover of purchases. Reuters GraphicsRetail investors are now "catching up" with institutional investors, said Sel Hardy, vice president of equity research at CFRA.

Persons: Lilly, Eli Lilly, Vincent Kessler, Zepbound, Marco Iachini, Hardy, JPMorgan Chase, Vanda, Ozempic, drugmakers, Iachini, Bhanvi Satija, Sriraj Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . pharma, Vanda Research, Novo Nordisk, Graphics Retail, Sel Hardy, JPMorgan, BlackRock, AMC, Thomson Locations: Lilly France, Fegersheim, Strasbourg, France, U.S, Bengaluru

A vial labelled "Novavax V COVID-19 Vaccine" is seen in this illustration taken January 16, 2022. Still, the Maryland-based biotech, which has been banking on cost cuts and commercial sales of its retooled COVID shot to help it stay afloat, reiterated its "going concern warning". The company expects the 2023-2024 U.S. market for COVID shots to be between 30 million and 50 million doses. The company's updated COVID shot, using a more traditional technology than the mRNA-based vaccines of rivals Pfizer (PFE.N) and Moderna (MRNA.O), was authorized in the U.S. in October. Novavax missed out on the COVID vaccine windfall that benefited rivals due to manufacturing issues that delayed its filing for approval when the pandemic was raging.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Novavax, Jim Kelly, John Jacobs, Jacobs, Bhanvi, Patrick Wingrove, Sriraj Kalluvila, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Department of Health, Human Services, Pfizer, Moderna, Thomson Locations: Maryland, U.S, United States, Bengaluru, New York

The FDA approved tirzepatide for weight loss under the brand name Zepbound. It has been available as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes since 2022 and had increasingly been used "off-label" for weight loss while the obesity approval was pending. Zepbound will be available in the U.S. by the end of the year at a list price of $1,059.87 a month, according to Lilly. That compares with a list of $1,349 per-package for Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) wildly popular weight-loss drug Wegovy. After Wednesday's FDA approval, Lilly can now promote the drug for weight loss.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Eli Lilly's, ” John Sharretts, Lilly, Morningstar, Damien Conover, Conover, drugmaker, Robert Kushner, Mounjaro, Patrick Wingrove, Leroy Leo, Bhanvi, Shinjini Ganguli, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Company, REUTERS, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, U.S, FDA, FDA’s Center, Drug, Research, Novo Nordisk's, Reuters, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Thomson Locations: Branchburg , New Jersey, U.S, Indianapolis, United States, New York, Bengaluru

Paxlovid, Pfizer's anti-viral medication to treat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is displayed in this picture illustration taken October 7, 2022. Sales of Paxlovid and the vaccine Pfizer makes with German partner BioNTech (22UAy.DE) had boosted revenue to record levels the last two years. Reuters GraphicsPfizer continues to expect 2023 revenue growth of 6%-8% from non-COVID products, with a majority occurring in the second half. Paxlovid sales slumped 97% in the third quarter to $202 million, while vaccine revenue of $1.31 billion was down from $4.4 billion a year earlier. Analysts had expected $1.44 billion for the vaccine and $618.20 million from Paxlovid, according to LSEG data.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Evan Seigerman, BioNTech, Albert Bourla, Angela Hwang, Paxlovid, Bhanvi Satija, Michael Erman, Sriraj Kalluvila, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Pfizer, BMO Capital, Reuters Graphics Pfizer, GSK, CVS, Analysts, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Europe, Paxlovid, Bengaluru, New York

"Short term, if you're visiting a smaller biotech customer, what you're seeing is concerns about when the funding environment is going to improve. On the call, finance chief Stephen Williamson said core revenue growth and adjusted profit in 2024 will be similar to that in 2023. It also forecast 2023 adjusted profit of $21.50 per share, below analysts' estimates of $22.28. The medical equipment maker forecast adjusted earnings of $21.75 per share in 2024, short of analysts' estimates by $2.23. Third-quarter revenue of $10.57 billion missed analysts' expectations of $10.60 billion while adjusted profit of $5.69 per share topped estimates of $5.61, according to LSEG data.

Persons: Brian Snyder, Marc Casper, Stephen Williamson, Raymond James, Andrew Cooper, Bhanvi, Shinjini Ganguli, Shounak Dasgupta, Sriraj Organizations: REUTERS, Agilent Technologies, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Waltham , Massachusetts, U.S, China, Bengaluru

The logo of Johnson & Johnson is seen on a Brussels' office of the company in Diegem, Belgium September 21, 2023. J&J raised its annual profit forecast, helped by strong sales from its pharmaceutical business, and shares of the U.S. healthcare conglomerate were off about 1%. Excluding its consumer health unit, J&J now expects 2023 adjusted profit of $10.07 to $10.13 per share, up from its previous view of $10.00 to $10.10. Sales at J&J's medical device unit came in at $7.46 billion, shy of Wall Street estimates of $7.58 billion. J&J finalized the biggest shake-up in its 137-year history in August with the spinoff, but retained a 9.5% stake in its iconic consumer health business.

Persons: Johnson, Yves Herman, J, Vamil Divan, Joseph Wolk, Ozempic, Wolk, Bhanvi Satija, Sriparna Roy, Patrick Wingrove, Shounak Dasgupta, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Johnson, REUTERS, Guggenheim Partners, Vamil, Reuters Graphics, J, Thomson, &' $, & $, & $ Locations: Brussels, Diegem, Belgium, Bengaluru, New York

The logo of Johnson & Johnson is seen on a Brussels' office of the company in Diegem, Belgium September 21, 2023. Investors are focused on how J&J, now a standalone pharmaceutical and medical devices company, will reach its goal of $57 billion in drug sales by 2025. Johnson & Johnson recorded a $21-billion gain in the third quarter from the spin-off of its consumer health unit. Stelara, J&J's top-selling anti-inflammatory drug, brought in sales of $2.86 billion in the quarter, above LSEG estimates of $2.61 billion. Excluding its consumer health unit, J&J now expects 2023 adjusted profit of $10.07 to $10.13 per share, compared with its previous outlook of $10.00 to $10.10 per share.

Persons: Johnson, Yves Herman, MedTech, Cantor Fitzgerald, Louise Chen, Stelara, Joseph Wolk, Wolk, J, Bhanvi Satija, Sriparna Roy, Patrick Wingrove, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Johnson, REUTERS, Innovative Medicine, Reuters, Thomson, & $, & $ Locations: Brussels, Diegem, Belgium, Stelara, U.S, United States, Bengaluru, New York

[1/2] A UnitedHealth Group health insurance card is seen in a wallet in this picture illustration October 14, 2019. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 13 (Reuters) - UnitedHealth (UNH.N) reported a third-quarter profit on Friday ahead of analysts' estimates, helped by a lower-than-feared rise in medical costs at the company's health insurance unit. UnitedHealth's profit beat and slight raise in annual forecast set the stage for other insurers in the industry that suffered a nearly $60-billion wipeout in market value in June, on fears of a spike in medical costs. UnitedHealth said in July it expects quarterly medical costs to be "a little bit lower" sequentially. In the third quarter, the company's medical loss ratio, the percentage of spend on claims compared to premiums collected, was 82.3%, versus 83.2% in the second quarter.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Stephens, Scott Fidel, UnitedHealth, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, Humana, Thomson Locations: COVID, Bengaluru

Healthcare workers strike in front of Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, as more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers go on strike from October 4 to 7 across the United States, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. October 4, 2023. WHAT ARE KAISER WORKERS' DEMANDS AND WHAT IS THE COMPANY OFFERING? Some of the key demands by the workers include higher pay to keep up with the cost of living, a $25-per-hour minimum wage for all healthcare workers, and a reformed bonus structure. The union insists Kaiser needs to hire 10,000 new healthcare workers to fill current vacancies, as well as "fix broken hiring processes" that are preventing full staffing. The unions are asking Kaiser Permanente to make massive investment in the education and training of future healthcare workers, and for a diminished role for vendors and third-party contractors that the healthcare network relies on.

Persons: Julie Su, Kaiser, Kaiser Permanente, John August, Russ Richmond, Leroy Leo, Bhanvi, Ahmed Aboulenein, Steve Gorman, Shinjini Ganguli, Diane Craft Organizations: Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Permanente, REUTERS, Kaiser Permanente, Labor, AMN Healthcare, District of Columbia, Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Tenet Healthcare, Satellite Healthcare, Fresenius, Thomson Locations: United States, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Kaiser, California, Bengaluru, Washington, Los Angeles

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration staff reviewers said on Tuesday Amgen's (AMGN.O) late-stage study might not be sufficient to confirm the effectiveness for its lung cancer drug, as the firm pursues a traditional nod for the treatment. Amgen's drug was granted accelerated approval by the U.S. FDA in 2021 for advanced lung cancer patients with KRAS mutations whose disease has worsened after treatment with chemotherapy or other medicines. The U.S. health regulator grants the so-called accelerated approval based on data that show therapies are likely to work, and requires confirmatory trials later to give them traditional approval. Data from the study showed Lumakras reduced the risk of disease progression in patients with advanced lung cancer by 34%, compared with chemotherapy in a clinical trial. The agency is expected to make a decision on traditional approval for the drug by Dec. 24.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Amgen's, William Blair, Matt Phipps, Lumakras, Bhanvi Satija, Shounak Dasgupta, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, U.S, FDA, Thomson Locations: U.S, Bengaluru

Sept 26 (Reuters) - Shares of Immunovant (IMVT.O) surged nearly 80% on Tuesday, after early-stage data from its experimental antibody treatment exceeded analysts' expectations. Immunovant is developing its antibody drug, IMVT-1402, as an under-the-skin injection to potentially treat autoimmune diseases. Immunovant's experimental drug reduced the levels of IgG, or immunoglobulin antibodies, that cause inflammation and disease in healthy adults. Shares of Roivant Sciences (ROIV.O), Immunovant's largest shareholder with a 56.5% stake, according to LSEG data, also rose 17.5% to $12. The positive data from IMVT-1402 could give Roivant another "potentially blockbuster" candidate to transact, after its experimental treatment for bowel disease, Jefferies analyst Dennis Ding said.

Persons: J.P, Morgan, Brian Cheng, drugmakers Johnson, Johnson, Hytrulo, Immunovant, transact, Jefferies, Dennis Ding, Bhanvi, Krishna Chandra Organizations: UCB, Roivant Sciences, Thomson Locations: United States, York, IMVT, Bengaluru

The updated shots are part of a push by public health officials to align the next COVID vaccines more closely with the actual circulating variant of the virus, similar to the way annual flu shots are designed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday authorized updated COVID vaccines made by Pfizer (PFE.N) and its German partner BioNTech SE (22UAy.DE) as well as by Moderna (MRNA.O). CDC Director Mandy Cohen is expected to approve the recommendations issued by the advisers, allowing Americans to get the updated vaccines. The first COVID vaccines in 2020 were monovalent, or single-target vaccines, aimed at the original strain of the virus. They were followed by bivalent COVID vaccine booster shots that targeted both the original and the Omicron strains.

Persons: Emily Elconin, BioNTech, Caitlin Rivers, Mandy Cohen, Rivers, bivalent, Daniel Kuritzkes, Eris, Kuritzkes, Novavax, Bhanvi, Julie Steenhuysen, Will Dunham, Caroline Humer Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Pfizer, Moderna, FDA, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, CDC, Omicron, Brigham, Women's Hospital, Vaccine, EG, Thomson Locations: Waterford , Michigan, U.S, United States, Baltimore, Europe, Asia, Boston, Moderna, Bengaluru, Chicago

Sept 7 (Reuters) - Insulet Corp's (PODD.O) shares hit an over three-year low on Thursday on concerns that strong demand for a new class of diabetes drugs that also aid in weight loss could hit sales of its insulin pumps. CEO James Hollingshead said at the Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference that GLP-1 drugs, which are used to treat type-2 diabetes and obesity, could delay the onset of insulin dependency in diabetes patients. GLP-1s are highly effective weight-loss drugs that some analysts predict could become a $100 billion market by 2030. Shares of Massachusetts-based Insulet fell about 12% to $170.87 and were on track to wipe off about $1.6 billion from the company's market capitalization if losses hold. Insulet manufactures and sells insulin delivery devices, which eliminate the need for multiple daily injections for people with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Persons: James Hollingshead, Novo, Trang Ly, Bhanvi, Anil D'Silva Organizations: Wells, Healthcare Conference, New England, of Medicine, Massachusetts, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

Medtronic Plc logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, April 10, 2023. Medtronic, which makes pacemakers, catheters and other tools used in heart and gastrointestinal surgeries, joins rivals, including Abbott Laboratories (ABT.N), Stryker (SYK.N) and Boston Scientific (BSX.N), on benefiting from a rise in non-urgent surgeries. CEO Geoff Martha said trends pointed to a recovery in surgical volumes as some procedures returned to stronger than pre-pandemic levels. Whereas, revenue from its medical surgical unit rose 5.5% to $2.04 billion. Medtronic also said that it was expecting to split its patient monitoring and respiratory interventions businesses in the first half of fiscal 2025.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Stryker, Geoff Martha, It's, Martha, Edward Jones, John Boylan, Medtronic, Bhanvi Satija, Christy Santhosh, Shweta Agarwal Organizations: REUTERS, Abbott, Abbott Laboratories, Boston, Thomson Locations: Dublin, Bengaluru

Aug 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved Pfizer's (PFE.N) respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for use in women during the middle of the third trimester of pregnancy to protect their babies. An FDA panel of outside experts backed the safety and effectiveness of Pfizer's RSV vaccine for women in their second and third trimesters earlier in May. RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms but can also lead to serious illness and hospitalization. Infants are at greatest risk for severe illness from RSV. An estimated 58,000 to 80,000 children below the age of five years are hospitalized every year due to RSV infection in the U.S., according to government data.

Persons: Pfizer, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Patrick Wingrove, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Pfizer, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, GSK, Thomson Locations: U.S, United States, Bengaluru, New York

CVS Health logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. The regional health insurance provider will still retain CVS Caremark for managing specialty drugs, which are costly medications used to treat complex conditions like cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. Other analysts highlighted difficulties in shifting to a different model than the one offered by companies like CVS - which provide other services including home drug delivery and reimburse pharmacies for patients' prescriptions. Amazon Pharmacy will provide at-home delivery of prescription drugs as well as upfront pricing, while Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company will provide access to generic drugs, Blue Shield said. Blue Shield of California's other partners include privately held Abarca for processing claims related to prescription drugs, while smaller PBM Prime Therapeutics will work to negotiate savings with drugmakers.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Cigna, UnitedHealth, Mark, Elizabeth Anderson, J.P, Morgan, Lisa Gill, Gill, Blue, Manas Mishra, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Shweta Agarwal, Pooja Desai, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Frances Kerry Organizations: CVS, REUTERS, Amazon, Cigna, UnitedHealth, Evercore ISI, Mark Cuban, Plus, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

An Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is pictured at 50 ImClone Drive in Branchburg, New Jersey, March 5, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File PhotoAug 8 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly (LLY.N) on Tuesday raised its annual forecasts after beating estimates for quarterly results, driven by strong demand for its new diabetes drug Mounjaro, ahead of a decision on its use as a weight-loss treatment. The company is leaning on Mounjaro, approved last May in the U.S. for diabetes, to soften the hit from insulin price cuts and competition for cancer therapy Alimta. A decision on Mounjaro to treat obesity, expected later this year, could help the drugmaker tap a multi-billion dollar market. Lilly now expects annual revenue in range of $33.4 billion to $33.9 billion, compared with its prior range of $31.2 billion to $31.7 billion.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Mounjaro, Wells, Mohit Bansal, Lilly, Bhanvi Satija, Mariam Sunny, Sriraj Organizations: Company, REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, Thomson Locations: Branchburg , New Jersey, U.S, Bengaluru

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File PhotoAug 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. drug regulator's approval of Biogen (BIIB.O) and Sage Therapeutics' (SAGE.O) first-of-its-kind postpartum depression (PPD) pill is unlikely to allay the drugmakers' growth concerns, analysts said on Monday. Adverse commentary after their PPD drug was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday sent Sage shares tumbling 40%, while Biogen dropped 3% in premarket trading. Zurzuvae's use as a clinical depression treatment represents a more than $1 billion sales opportunity compared with $250 million to $500 million potential for postpartum depression, said Jefferies analyst Michael Yee. "Postpartum depression is not necessarily where a big commercial opportunity is," Biogen CEO Christopher Viehbacher said last month. The U.S. FDA said last week that additional studies might be required to support the drug's approval for major depressive disorder (MDD), or clinical depression.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Sage, Biogen, Baird, Brian Skorney, Skorney, Zurzuvae, Jefferies, Michael Yee, Christopher Viehbacher, Yee, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Manas Mishra, Vinay Dwivedi Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, FDA, REUTERS, Sage Therapeutics, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, U.S, Thomson Locations: White Oak , Maryland, U.S, Bengaluru

July 28 (Reuters) - Biogen (BIIB.O) agreed to buy rare disease drugmaker Reata Pharmaceuticals (RETA.O) for nearly $6.5 billion, the first large acquisition under new CEO Christopher Viehbacher as he seeks to return the drugmaker to growth. Through the deal, Biogen said it will gain Texas-based Reata's recently approved drug Skyclarys to treat a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive damage to the nervous system. It already makes Spinraza, a treatment for the rare muscle-wasting disorder called spinal muscular atrophy, and a treatment for a rare type of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Biogen said it will pay Reata $172.50 per share in cash, which represents a 58.9% premium to the stock's last closing price. Reuters GraphicsShares of Reata surged nearly 52% to $164.76 in early trading, while Biogen's shares fell marginally to $261.14.

Persons: Christopher Viehbacher, Viehbacher, Biogen, Eisai, Baird, Brian Skorney, Manas Mishra, Bhanvi, Shinjini Organizations: Pharmaceuticals, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Texas, United States, Bengaluru

July 14 (Reuters) - UnitedHealth Group's (UNH.N) quarterly profit beat Wall Street estimates on Friday as a smaller-than-expected jump in medical costs allayed fears that a resumption in long-delayed surgical procedures would hit profit growth, sending its shares up 5%. The beat from the industry bellwether lifted the shares of rivals Humana (HUM.N), Cigna (CI.N), CVS Health (CVS.N) and Elevance Health (ELV.N) between 2% and 5%. Chief financial officer John Rex said the company expects medical costs for the third quarter to be "a little bit lower" compared to the second quarter. UnitedHealth's profit of $6.14 per share for the second quarter beat analysts' expectations of $5.99, according to Refinitiv. Reporting by Bhanvi Satija and Raghav Mahobe in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: John Rex, Stephens, Scott Fidel, UnitedHealth, Humana, Bhanvi Satija, Pooja Desai Organizations: Wall, Humana, CVS Health, Elevance, Health, Medicare, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo/File PhotoJune 14 (Reuters) - Health insurer stocks dropped sharply on Wednesday after UnitedHealth Group (UNH.N) said costs were on the rise for the largest U.S. healthcare provider by market value due to an increase in surgeries among older adults. Shares of industry bellwether UnitedHealth fell 7.3% to $455.11, wiping out roughly $42 billion from the company's market capitalization in the current trading session. Meanwhile, stocks of medical device makers and hospital operators rose, as increased frequency of surgeries mean more revenue for them. The company highlighted strong demand for hip and knee procedures at outpatient centers, as well as for home health services and behavioral services. Elevance Health (ELV.N), CVS Health Corp (CVS.N), Centene Corp (CNC.N) and Cigna Group (CI.N) fell between 6% and 7.5%.

Persons: Mike Blake, bellwether, UnitedHealth, Jefferies, Brian Tanquilut, Zimmer Biomet, Leroy Leo, Bhanvi, Manas Mishra, Shinjini Organizations: REUTERS, UnitedHealth, Medicare, Humana Inc, Reuters Graphics, Elevance, CVS Health Corp, Centene Corp, Cigna, Elevance Health Inc, CVS, Healthcare, Tenet Healthcare, Stryker, Thomson Locations: Santa Ana , California, U.S, Bengaluru

The company reported a larger-than-expected quarterly loss and cut its annual revenue forecast for the second time, but strength in its biologics unit drove quarterly sales past tempered Wall Street estimates. Catalent's "results cleared an admittedly low bar", Stephens analyst Jacob Johnson said. "After a number of shoes dropping and a lot of noise recently, today was a good first or second step." Catalent reported a third-quarter loss of 9 cents per share, compared with Wall Street estimates for a loss of 3 cents, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. The company will also amend its 2022 results filing with a $26 million deduction caused by a revenue recognition error at its Bloomington plant.

Persons: Stephens, Jacob Johnson, Alessandro Maselli, Maselli, Catalent, Bhanvi Satija, Sriparna Roy, Devika Organizations: Novo Nordisk's, Thomson Locations: Maryland, Brussels, Indiana, Bloomington, Bengaluru

Catalent, one of the top contract manufacturers for pharmaceutical companies, said a drop in revenue from COVID vaccine manufacturing had coincided with higher-than-expected costs and production challenges at its facilities in Indiana and in Brussels. Adding to woes, its cost-cutting plans have been delayed due to regulatory inspections and subsequent corrective actions, the company said. Despite Friday's gain in shares, Catalent's stock is down 19% since it first disclosed production challenges at its three major production plants in April. Catalent cut its full-year revenue to a range of $4.25 billion to $4.35 billion, from its prior forecast of $4.63 billion to $4.88 billion. It also slashed its annual adjusted net income forecast to between $187 million and $228 million, from between $567 million and $648 million previously.

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