MOH operates in the hospital and medical service plans industry, providing managed healthcare services.
It is a leading health insurer known for its extensive provider network and focus on government-sponsored programs like Medicaid.
Updated: February 19, 2026, 16:00 EST
Based on the provided analysis for MOH, here is a comprehensive assessment.
Technical Analysis The technical picture is exceptionally weak, signaling a stock in a severe downtrend. MOH is deeply oversold, having experienced a catastrophic peak-to-trough decline and trading near its 52-week low. While this suggests extreme negative sentiment, the powerful prevailing downward momentum indicates a high risk of further price deterioration before any sustainable recovery can begin.
Fundamentals Fundamentals have deteriorated alarmingly, particularly in profitability. The swing from a net profit to a significant loss in the latest quarter, coupled with a contracting gross margin, points to severe operational pressures. Although the debt level appears manageable, the deeply negative interest coverage ratio is a major concern, indicating earnings are insufficient to service existing debt comfortably.
Valuation & Risk Valuation metrics are misleading; while the trailing P/E seems reasonable, negative forward P/E and EV/EBITDA ratios flag expectations of severe near-term financial decline. The risk profile is complex: the low beta suggests low correlation to the market, but this is contradicted by the stock's extreme volatility and massive drawdown, highlighting significant company-specific risks.
Buy Recommendation
Based on the comprehensive analysis, MOH is not a recommended buy at this time. The convergence of a powerful technical downtrend, a material and sudden deterioration in profitability, and negative forward-looking valuation metrics creates a highly unfavorable risk/reward profile. Investors should wait for clear signs of a fundamental turnaround, such as a return to profitability and improved cash flow, before considering a position. This stock is best suited for monitoring until stability returns.
*Note: This is not investment advice, for reference only.*
Based on the analysis provided, the 12-month outlook for MOH is highly cautious. Key catalysts for a potential recovery would be clear signs of a fundamental turnaround, specifically a return to profitability and improved cash flow generation in upcoming quarters. The primary risks are significant, including persistent negative earnings, an inability to cover interest payments, and the powerful technical downtrend suggesting further price deterioration is possible. Given the severe deterioration in fundamentals and lack of analyst targets, establishing a precise target price is speculative; investors should prioritize monitoring for stabilization over anticipating near-term appreciation.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about Molina Healthcare, Inc.'s 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $148.24, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, MOH has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
MOH has experienced severe price deterioration over the past year, characterized by a catastrophic peak-to-trough decline and a substantial recent selloff. The stock is currently mired in a deep bear market phase, significantly underperforming the broader market.
The stock's performance is alarming, with a severe one-month decline of nearly -30% outweighing a less severe three-month drop of -5.46%. Despite its low beta suggesting lower volatility, MOH has significantly underperformed the market by 5.44% over the last quarter, indicating severe stock-specific negative catalysts are driving the decline.
Currently trading at $135.68, MOH sits just 12% above its 52-week low and a staggering 62% below its 52-week high. Following a -65% maximum drawdown, the stock is deeply oversold on a technical basis, reflecting extreme negative sentiment, though it remains vulnerable to further downside given the powerful prevailing downtrend.
| Period | MOH Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | -22.5% | +1.0% |
| 3m | +7.0% | +1.9% |
| 6m | -5.8% | +6.5% |
| 1y | -49.1% | +12.1% |
| ytd | -16.9% | +0.2% |
Revenue & Profitability: MOH demonstrates concerning performance with a significant drop in profitability from Q3 to Q4 2025. While revenue remained broadly stable, the company swung from a net income profit of $79 million in Q3 to a loss of -$160 million in Q4, marking a material deterioration. Its gross margin contracted to just 10.89%, indicating pressure on underlying operational costs.
Financial Health: The company's debt situation appears manageable with a reasonable Debt-to-Equity ratio below 1. However, concerningly, its Interest Coverage ratio turned deeply negative amid EBIT losses, suggesting current earnings are insufficient to service debt obligations comfortably. The negative Cash Flow trend warrants monitoring as operational losses strain cash generation.
Operational Efficiency: MOH's operational efficiency presents mixed signals with weakness in asset utilization driving negative ROE figures approaching -4%. While fixed asset turnover remains high at ~38x, the overall asset turnover ratio remains modest (~0.73), limiting returns on capital deployed. The negative operating cash flow trend further signals pressure on working capital management.
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Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardValuation Level MOH's trailing PE of 14.8 suggests a reasonable valuation on a historical earnings basis. However, the negative forward PE and deeply negative EV/EBITDA are significant red flags, indicating the market expects earnings and operating cash flow to deteriorate substantially. These negative forward-looking metrics strongly imply the stock is overvalued relative to its near-term financial prospects.
Peer Comparison A peer comparison is not feasible as industry average data is unavailable. The analysis is therefore limited to an absolute assessment based on MOH's standalone metrics. The negative forward-looking ratios remain a primary concern without an industry context to determine if this is a company-specific or sector-wide issue.
Volatility Risk: MOH exhibits exceptionally low systematic risk with a Beta of 0.493, indicating it is expected to be about half as volatile as the broader market. However, this is sharply contradicted by its maximum drawdown of -65.28% over the past year, revealing a stock susceptible to extreme, isolated price declines that are not captured by its low Beta alone.
Other Risks: The absence of reported short interest suggests a lack of significant bearish sentiment from sophisticated investors, which can be a positive indicator. However, this may also be related to potential liquidity constraints or a limited float, creating an environment where sudden shifts in sentiment could lead to sharp, unidirectional price movements due to a thin market for the stock.
Bearish. MOH is not a compelling buy currently due to three core issues: 1) a severe fundamental deterioration marked by a swing to a net loss and negative cash flow, 2) a deeply negative analyst consensus and a disappointing 2026 outlook that triggered a major selloff, and 3) a technically broken chart with the stock still deep in a powerful downtrend. This stock is suitable only for highly risk-tolerant, speculative investors looking for a potential turnaround, as significant risks remain.
Based on this data, MOH appears to be overvalued. While the trailing P/E ratio of 14.8 seems reasonable in a vacuum, key forward-looking metrics are alarming; the negative forward P/E and deeply negative cash flow multiples indicate the market expects severe near-term deterioration in profitability. Furthermore, the stock's valuation fails to reflect the company's fundamental issues, including a recent swing to a net loss, a contracting gross margin of 10.89%, and negative operational cash flow. The primary reasons for overvaluation are the market price not adequately discounting these significant negative growth and profitability expectations.
Based on the provided information, here are the key risks of holding MOH:
1. Stock-Specific & Liquidity Risk: The stock is highly susceptible to extreme, isolated price declines (evidenced by a -65.28% drawdown) likely driven by negative company-specific catalysts and potentially amplified by a thin market or limited float. 2. Profitability & Operational Risk: The company has experienced a material deterioration in core operations, swinging to a significant net loss and a severely contracted gross margin of 10.89%, indicating substantial pressure on its underlying business model. 3. Financial Health Risk: Despite a manageable debt level, the company's earnings are insufficient to service its debt obligations, as shown by a deeply negative interest coverage ratio, raising concerns about financial stability.
Based on the provided analysis, the forecast for MOH through 2026 is highly uncertain and skewed toward the downside. A base case target range of $50-$80 reflects the risk of continued operational challenges and potential liquidity concerns, while a bull case of $100-$120 is contingent on a successful financial restructuring and a return to consistent profitability. Key growth drivers would need to be a dramatic operational turnaround to restore positive cash flow and a successful effort to shore up its financial health, particularly its interest coverage. The primary assumptions underpinning this outlook are that the severe deterioration in Q4 2025 is indicative of deep-seated issues that will take significant time to resolve, and that negative cash flow and earnings severely limit the company's strategic options. This forecast carries substantial uncertainty, and the stock remains a high-risk proposition until clear evidence of a fundamental recovery emerges.