Humana Stock (NYSE:HUM), Trade Ideas

Humana

Humana is one of the largest private health insurers in the U.S. with a focus on administering Medicare Advantage plans. The firm has built a niche specializing in government-sponsored programs, with nearly all its medical membership stemming from individual and group Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and the military's Tricare program. The firm is also a leader in stand-alone prescription drug plans for seniors enrolled in traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Beyond medical insurance, the company provides other healthcare services, including primary-care services, at-home services, and pharmacy benefit management.

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Corporate profit growth rose in Q3 2023 and is expected to continue in Q1.

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Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on Humana.
Looking at options history for Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) we detected 11 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 36% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 45% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 3 are puts, for a total amount of $136,443 and 8, calls, for a total amount of $489,765.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $270.0 to $340.0 for Humana over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Humana stands at 190.7, with a total volume reaching 1,036.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Humana, situated within the strike price corridor from $270.0 to $340.0, throughout the last 30 days.
<h3>Humana Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713899742_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$68.9</td>
<td>$67.9</td>
<td>$67.9</td>
<td>$280.00</td>
<td>$122.2K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">18</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$9.4</td>
<td>$9.2</td>
<td>$9.2</td>
<td>$325.00</td>
<td>$91.9K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">154</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">112</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$9.5</td>
<td>$9.2</td>
<td>$9.47</td>
<td>$325.00</td>
<td>$78.7K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">154</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">254</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$11.2</td>
<td>$10.7</td>
<td>$11.0</td>
<td>$320.00</td>
<td>$55.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">338</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$32.3</td>
<td>$30.9</td>
<td>$31.51</td>
<td>$340.00</td>
<td>$50.4K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">59</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">29</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Humana</h3>
Humana is one of the largest private health insurers in the U.S. with a focus on administering Medicare Advantage plans. The firm has built a niche specializing in government-sponsored programs, with nearly all its medical membership stemming from individual and group Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and the military's Tricare program. The firm is also a leader in stand-alone prescription drug plans for seniors enrolled in traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Beyond medical insurance, the company provides other healthcare services, including primary-care services, at-home services, and pharmacy benefit management.
In light of the recent options history for Humana, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Current Position of Humana</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 837,701, the price of HUM is up 0.41% at $326.62. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 1 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Analysts Are Saying About Humana</h3>
In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $366.4.
<ul>
<li>Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Goldman Sachs continues to hold a Buy rating for Humana, targeting a price of $385. </li>
<li>An analyst from Barclays has decided to maintain their Equal-Weight rating on Humana, which currently sits at a price target of $310. </li>
<li>An analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald has revised its rating downward to Neutral, adjusting the price target to $391. </li>
<li>An analyst from Wells Fargo has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on Humana, which currently sits at a price target of $350. </li>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from TD Cowen keeps a Buy rating on Humana with a target price of $396. </li>
</ul>
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Humana with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

Options

Behind the Scenes of Humana's Latest Options Trends

General

Cohere Health And Humana Expand Prior Authorization Partnership, Adding Diagnostic Imaging And Sleep Services

Jefferies analyst David Windley maintains Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $411 to $381.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Jefferies Maintains Buy on Humana, Lowers Price Target to $381

As the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/24/04/38342737/nasdaq-100-notches-worst-day-since-late-2023-worst-week-since-late-2022-as-ai-driven-chipmakers-tu">market runs into rough weather,</a> the importance of the upcoming week&#8217;s earnings cannot be emphasized enough. A lot is riding on the earnings reports of companies like Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (GOOG).
The Season So Far: The percentage of S&amp;P 500 companies that have reported positive earning surprises and the magnitude of earnings surprises are at or above their 10-year averages, <a href="https://insight.factset.com/sp-500-earnings-season-update-april-19-2024?utm_source=Direct&amp;utm_medium=Email&amp;utm_campaign=FO-04-19-2024&amp;utm_content=httpsinsightfactsetcomsp500earningsseasonupdateapril192024">said</a> FactSet in its report released Friday. That said, substantial downward revisions to earnings per share (EPS) estimates of two healthcare companies have led to a decline in earnings growth over the past two weeks.
The combined earnings per share growth rate of S&amp;P 500 companies, considering both the already reported actual results and the estimates for those yet to report, is at 0.5%, according to FactSet. The metric, however, fell from the 0.9% estimated previous week and the 3.4% estimated at the end of the first quarter. Earnings growth for the quarter may extend the positive growth streak to three quarters.
So far, 14% of the S&amp;P 500 companies have reported March quarter results. 
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Look Ahead: The upcoming week will likely feature earnings releases from 158 S&amp;P 500 companies, including 11 Dow 30 components. With the bank earnings tapering off, the spotlight shifts to tech companies, as they begin to roll out their quarterly scorecard this week.
Apart from some big techs, which are part of the group called the &#8220;Magnificent Seven,&#8221; homebuilders, defense contractors, airlines and transportation companies are also due to release their quarterly reports. 
All eyes are focused on Tesla as analysts expect a downbeat report from the company. Analysts see the scope of a further contraction in margin and potentially a double miss yet again in the first quarter.
AI stalwarts Microsoft, Alphabet and Meta are widely expected to report strong results. Following the recent tech-led sell-off, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said, &#8220;We believe 1Q earnings will be a major positive catalyst for the tech sector and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38252477/why-microsoft-alphabet-amazon-palantir-and-meta-could-rise-15-in-2024-according-to-">expect tech stocks to be up another 15% for the year</a> adding to the strong start to 2024.&#8221;
The earnings schedule of key names are as follows:
Monday 
<ul>
<li>Before the bell: Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACI#NYSE">ACI</a>), Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), Zions Bancorporation, National Association (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZION#NASDAQ">ZION</a>)</li>
<li>After the close: Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMP#NYSE">AMP</a>), Nucor Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NUE#NYSE">NUE</a>) Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLF#NYSE">CLF</a>), Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) and SAP SE (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SAP#NYSE">SAP</a>), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DGX#NYSE">DGX</a>)</li>
</ul>
Tuesday 
<ul>
<li>Before the bell: D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DHI#NYSE">DHI</a>), Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FI#NYSE">FI</a>), General Electric Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GE#NYSE">GE</a>), General Motors Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>), JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JBLU#NASDAQ">JBLU</a>), Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KMB#NYSE">KMB</a>), Novartis AG (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVS#NYSE">NVS</a>), PepsiCo. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NYSE">PEP</a>), PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PHM#NYSE">PHM</a>), Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>), United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UPS#NYSE">UPS</a>) and Xerox Holdings Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XRX#NYSE">XRX</a>), Halliburton Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HAL#NYSE">HAL</a>) and Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>)</li>
<li>After the close: Visa, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>), Texas Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXN#NASDAQ">TXN</a>), Tesla, Steel Dynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STLD#NASDAQ">STLD</a>), Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STX#NASDAQ">STX</a>), Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAT#NASDAQ">MAT</a>), Chubb Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CB#NYSE">CB</a>), Canadian National Railway Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CNI#NYSE">CNI</a>) and Baker Hughes Company (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKR#NASDAQ">BKR</a>)</li>
</ul>
Wednesday 
<ul>
<li>Before the bell: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMO#NYSE">TMO</a>), Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ODFL#NASDAQ">ODFL</a>), Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NSC#NYSE">NSC</a>), Humana Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>), Hasbro, Inc. (NASDA: HAS), General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GD#NYSE">GD</a>), Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BSX#NYSE">BSX</a>), Biogen, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIIB#NASDAQ">BIIB</a>) and AT&amp;T Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>)</li>
<li>After the close: Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WHR#NYSE">WHR</a>), Western Union Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WU#NYSE">WU</a>), ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOW#NYSE">NOW</a>), QuantumScape Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QS#NYSE">QS</a>), O&#8217;Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORLY#NASDAQ">ORLY</a>), Meta Platforms, Meritage Homes Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MTH#NYSE">MTH</a>), Lam Research Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LRCX#NASDAQ">LRCX</a>), Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KNX#NYSE">KNX</a>), International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) and Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMG#NYSE">CMG</a>)</li>
</ul>
Thursday 
<ul>
<li>Before the bell: Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MO#NYSE">MO</a>), American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAL#NASDAQ">AAL</a>), AstraZeneca Plc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AZN#NASDAQ">AZN</a>), Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMY#NYSE">BMY</a>), Caterpillar, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CAT#NYSE">CAT</a>), CMS Energy Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMS#NYSE">CMS</a>), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCSA#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>), Dow Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOW#NYSE">DOW</a>), Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOG#NYSE">HOG</a>), Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HTZ#NASDAQ">HTZ</a>), Honeywell International Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HON#NASDAQ">HON</a>), Merck &amp; Co., Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRK#NYSE">MRK</a>), Mobileye Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MBLY#NASDAQ">MBLY</a>), Nasdaq, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NDAQ#NASDAQ">NDAQ</a>), Newmont Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEM#NYSE">NEM</a>), Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RCL#NYSE">RCL</a>), Sanofi (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNY#NASDAQ">SNY</a>), Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LUV#NYSE">LUV</a>) and STMicroelectronics N.V. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STM#NYSE">STM</a>)</li>
<li>After the close: Alphabet, Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYD#NYSE">BYD</a>), Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COF#NYSE">COF</a>), Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GILD#NASDAQ">GILD</a>), Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), Juniper Networks, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNPR#NYSE">JNPR</a>), KLA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLAC#NASDAQ">KLAC</a>), Microsoft, Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ROKU#NASDAQ">ROKU</a>), Teladoc Health, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDOC#NYSE">TDOC</a>), T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMUS#NASDAQ">TMUS</a>) and Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDC#NASDAQ">WDC</a>)</li>
</ul>
Friday 
<ul>
<li>Before the bell: AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABBV#NYSE">ABBV</a>), Aon plc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AON#NYSE">AON</a>), Autoliv, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALV#NYSE">ALV</a>), AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AN#NYSE">AN</a>), Barnes Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/B#NYSE">B</a>), Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHTR#NASDAQ">CHTR</a>), Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CL#NYSE">CL</a>), Chevron Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>), Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>) and Newell Brands Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NWL#NASDAQ">NWL</a>)</li>
</ul>
The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), an exchange-traded fund that tracks the performance of the broader S&amp;P 500 Index, ended Friday&#8217;s session down 0.87% at $495.16, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data. </a>The ETF has pulled back from its all-time high (intraday) of $524.61 hit on March 28. The Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), an ETF levered more to high-profile, non-financial tech companies, has lost 7.72% from its all-time intraday high of $449.34 (March 21).
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/24/04/38342737/nasdaq-100-notches-worst-day-since-late-2023-worst-week-since-late-2022-as-ai-driven-chipmakers-tu">Nvidia In Correction Territory — Did AI-Led Tech Stock Bubble Just Burst? This Data Point Offers A Clue.</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 8.13% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 15.79%. Currently, Humana has a market capitalization of $39.46 billion. 
Buying $1000 In HUM: If an investor had bought $1000 of HUM stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $18,482.21 today based on a price of $327.32 for HUM at the time of writing.
<h3>Humana's Performance Over Last 20 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713468635_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning Humana Stock In The Last 20 Years

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Humana. Our analysis of options history for Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) revealed 17 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 52% of traders were bullish, while 47% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 13 were puts, with a value of $1,258,185, and 4 were calls, valued at $121,730.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $240.0 to $400.0 for Humana over the recent three months. 
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Humana options trades today is 537.5 with a total volume of 1,494.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Humana's big money trades within a strike price range of $240.0 to $400.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Humana Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713375119_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Largest Options Trades Observed:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$46.9</td>
<td>$45.2</td>
<td>$45.85</td>
<td>$330.00</td>
<td>$408.9K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$90.2</td>
<td>$86.7</td>
<td>$90.2</td>
<td>$400.00</td>
<td>$402.8K</td>
<td>2.8K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$15.6</td>
<td>$15.5</td>
<td>$15.5</td>
<td>$330.00</td>
<td>$93.0K</td>
<td>60</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">60</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$5.3</td>
<td>$5.2</td>
<td>$5.3</td>
<td>$240.00</td>
<td>$48.7K</td>
<td>47</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">142</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$5.5</td>
<td>$5.3</td>
<td>$5.3</td>
<td>$240.00</td>
<td>$43.4K</td>
<td>47</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">142</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Humana</h3>
Humana is one of the largest private health insurers in the U.S. with a focus on administering Medicare Advantage plans. The firm has built a niche specializing in government-sponsored programs, with nearly all its medical membership stemming from individual and group Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and the military's Tricare program. The firm is also a leader in stand-alone prescription drug plans for seniors enrolled in traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Beyond medical insurance, the company provides other healthcare services, including primary-care services, at-home services, and pharmacy benefit management.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Humana, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Humana</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 713,925, the HUM's price is up by 1.37%, now at $321.86. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 7 days.</li>
</ul>
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Humana with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

Smart Money Is Betting Big In HUM Options

Investors remain on edge as geopolitics continue to shape market trends, with Israel mulling a response to Iran while the U.S. and key allies explore <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38264304/middle-east-tensions-mount-as-israel-considers-retaliation-after-irans-direct-attack">further sanctions against Tehran.</a>
U.S. major averages display mixed performances as of midday trading Tuesday. The S&amp;P 500 holds steady at 5,200 points, while blue-chip stocks outperform the broader market, and small caps experience some declines.
In its April World Economic Outlook, the International Monetary Fund raised growth projections for the U.S. economy, while eyeing the possibility of Federal Reserve rate cuts this year as inflation declines. Yet, an escalation in the Middle East could complicate the picture, pushing oil and inflation higher and forcing central <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38272906/imf-expects-lower-interest-rates-unless-middle-east-conflict-escalates-there-will-b">banks to tighten again. </a>
Treasury yields continue to kick higher, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond reaching 4.65%. Bond-related ETFs declined further, with the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLT#NASDAQ">TLT</a>) down 0.5%. 
Despite the uptick in yields and a stronger dollar, gold continues to showcase an impressive strength, with the yellow metal up 0.3% to $2,390 per ounce, on track for a record-high close. 
Oil prices were slightly softer, down 0.4%. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) is down 2.5% to $61,900, marking a 15% drop since last week&#8217;s high. 
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday&#8217;s Performance In Major U.S. Indices, ETFs</h1>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-day %chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>37,910.28</td>
<td>0.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>17,759.96</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>5,066.92</td>
<td>0.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>195.34</td>
<td>-0.2%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 12:30 p.m. EDT</figcaption></figure>
The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) held steady at $504.71, the&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) rose 0.4% to $379.06 and the tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) held steady at $431.91, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.&nbsp;
Sector-wise, the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLV#NYSE">XLV</a>) outperformed, up 0.4%. The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) was the major laggard, down 0.9%. 
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h1>
<ul>
<li>Tesla, Inc, (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) fell more than 2.8%, on track to close at the lowest level in a year, after analysts interpreted the recent layoff announcement as a negative sign for the company&#8217;s outlook. </li>
<li>Companies reacting to earnings were Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAC#NYSE">BAC</a>), down 3.3%; Morgan Stanley (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MS#NYSE">MS</a>), up 3.4%; Northern Trust Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTRS#NYSE">NTRS</a>), down 4%; PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PNC#NYSE">PNC</a>), down 1.9%; Jonson &amp; Johnson (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNJ#NYSE">JNJ</a>), down 2.4%; and UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>), up over 6%. </li>
<li>Skillsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SKIL#NASDAQ">SKIL</a>) fell nearly 40%, after a revenue miss and departure of its CEO. </li>
<li>Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HE#NYSE">HE</a>) fell 18%, falling below last year&#8217;s lows, after the company announced readiness to implement rolling blackouts owing to reduced wind and solar power generation, along with the temporary outage of several large generators.</li>
<li>Notable names reporting earnings after the close are J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JBHT#NASDAQ">JBHT</a>), United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UAL#NASDAQ">UAL</a>) and Interactive Brokers Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBKR#NYSE">IBKR</a>). </li>
</ul>
Read Now: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38274726/homebuilder-stocks-tumble-as-housing-starts-fall-by-14-7-a-poor-time-to-buy-a-home-">Homebuilder Stocks Tumble As Housing Starts Fall By 14.7%: &#8216;A Poor Time To Buy A Home,&#8217; Says Economist</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Stocks Grapple With Geopolitical Pressures, Gold Eyes $2,400, Bitcoin Falls Below $62,000: What's Driving Markets Tuesday?

Earnings optimism may partly offset worries concerning&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38259895/bond-yields-surge-to-6-month-highs-as-likelihood-of-no-landing-scenario-increases-u" rel="noreferrer noopener">rising bond yields</a>&nbsp;and the volatile geopolitical situation in the Middle East, with the index futures trading mixed early Tuesday. Israel is considering its next course of action, adding to the uncertainty. Domestically, inflation concerns have pushed bond yields sharply higher.
UnitedHealth Group&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) rose solidly after its earnings report, with other health benefit companies following suit. On the other hand, several tech heavyweights are sliding in premarket trading, hinting at extended weakness. Traders may pay attention to speeches by Federal Reserve officials, including one from Chairman&nbsp;Jerome Powell.&nbsp;Global cues are negative, with most major averages plunging hard amid the macro and geopolitical concerns.
 Futures Performance On Tuesday ( as of 6:50 a.m. EDT)
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Futures</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>-0.09%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>-0.04%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow</td>
<td>+0.38%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>R2K</td>
<td>-0.72%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> In <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">premarket</a>&nbsp;trading on Tuesday, the&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was little changed at $504.43,&nbsp;and the&nbsp;Invesco QQQ ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) edged down 0.10% to $430.63, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro data</a>.</figcaption></figure>
Cues From Previous Session:
The spike in bond yields, aided by a stronger-than-expected March retail sales report, and simmering tensions in the Middle East offset the optimism generated by earnings, and sent the major indices spiraling lower on Monday. The Dow declined for a six straight session despite the support lent by Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GS#NYSE">GS</a>) following the investment bank&#8217;s earnings release.
The plunge took the S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite to a nearly two-month low, while the Dow Industrials pulled back toward its lowest close since Jan. 18. The small-cap Russell 2,000 Index fell below the psychological level of 2,000 and ended at its lowest level in more than two months.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Index</td>
<td>Performance In (+/-)</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq Composite</td>
<td>-1.79%</td>
<td>15,885.02</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500 Index</td>
<td>-1.20%</td>
<td>5,061.82</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Industrials</td>
<td>-0.65%</td>
<td>37,735.11</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>-1.37%</td>
<td>1,975.71</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Insights From Analysts:
Going by historical patterns, one can expect a reversal in sentiment, according to Carson Group&#8217;s Ryan Detrick. Commenting on Monday&#8217;s move, the analyst said, &#8220;First close beneath the 50-day MA for the S&amp;P 500 in 110 trading days, longest since 2011.&#8221;
He, however, pointed to a silver lining in the cloud. When streaks over 100 days ended, stocks were higher three months later 88% of the time and six months later 81% of the time, he said.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">First close beneath the 50-day MA for the S&amp;P 500 in 110 trading days, longest since 2011. Looking at when streaks over 100 days ended showed stocks were higher 3 mos later 88% of time and 6 mos later 81% of time. A warning? Maybe, but maybe not. <a href="https://t.co/kFuB2G5gbo">pic.twitter.com/kFuB2G5gbo</a>
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1780073745194815972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Louis Navellier, who has largely been bullish on the market, on Monday said sustained recovery may require some stability in interest rates and more clarity in the geopolitical situation.</figcaption></figure>
Upcoming Economic Data:
The Commerce Department is due to release its housing starts report at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Economists, on average, expect housing starts to come in at 1.48 million units in March, down slightly from 1.52 million units in February. Building permits, an indicator of future housing activity, may have edged down from 1.52 million units to 1.51 million units.
The Fed will release its industrial production report for March at 8:15 a.m. EDT. The consensus estimate calls for a 0.4% month-over-month increase in industrial output, faster than the 0.1% growth in February.
Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson is scheduled to speak at 9 a.m. EDT, New York Fed President John Williams at 12:30 p.m., and Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin at 1 p.m. EDT. Fed Chair Powell will make a public appearance at 1:15 p.m. EDT.
See also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-futures-trading-software">Best Futures Trading Software</a>
Stocks In Focus:
<ul>
<li>Tesla, Inc, (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) fell over 2.30% <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket">in premarket trading</a> to $157.66 in premarket amid weak China sales data and the ongoing concerns about the company&#8217;s near term.</li>
<li>Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAC#NYSE">BAC</a>), Morgan Stanley (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MS#NYSE">MS</a>), Northern Trust Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTRS#NYSE">NTRS</a>), PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PNC#NYSE">PNC</a>) and Jonson &amp; Johnson (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNJ#NYSE">JNJ</a>) are among those <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings">reporting earnings ahead of the market open.</a> UnitedHealth climbed over 5% in reaction to its quarterly results, taking along with the shares of peers such as Humana Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) and Centene Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CNC#NYSE">CNC</a>).</li>
<li>Notable names reporting after the close are J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JBHT#NASDAQ">JBHT</a>) and United Airlines Holdings, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UAL#NASDAQ">UAL</a>).</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Bonds, and Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures traded lower for a second straight session but held above the $85-a-barrel mark on Tuesday and gold futures firmed up but are trading off Friday&#8217;s intraday high of $2,448.80 a troy ounce. Bond yields stayed elevated, with the 10-year note&#8217;s yield holding around the 4.65% mark.
 Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) fell about 7% and has retraced to near the $62,000 level.
The global equity markets were swathed in a sea of red, with all major Asian averages declining steeply. China&#8217;s first-quarter GDP growth came in above expectations but March retail sales and industrial production growth decelerated, missing the consensus estimates. This painted a weak demand outlook for the economy.
European stocks also fell sharply in early trading, with the Euro STOXX 50 Index down about 1.48%.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38259895/bond-yields-surge-to-6-month-highs-as-likelihood-of-no-landing-scenario-increases-u">Peter Schiff Challenges Bitcoin&#8217;s $100K Prediction As Crypto-Linked Stocks Languish In Bear Zone: &#8216;Sell Your Fool&#8217;s Gold And Buy The Real Thing&#8217;</a>
Photo by Tada Images on Shutterstock

WIIM

streetTRACKS Dow Jones U.S. Large Cap Value Index Fund

Shares of healthcare stocks are trading higher in sympathy with UnitedHealth, which reported better-than-expected Q1 earnings.

Friday, the Agency for Health Care Administration&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids/detail/8624" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;contracts to five health plans due for the re-procurement of the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) program.&nbsp;
Florida has finally announced its long-awaited Medicaid contract awards, keeping&nbsp;Centene Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CNC#NYSE">CNC</a>),&nbsp;Elevance Health Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ELV#NYSE">ELV</a>), and&nbsp;Humana Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) as the only providers in each state region.&nbsp;
Stephens&nbsp;noted that Centene and Elevance Health re-procured specialty contracts (MMASC) while Centene also retained its child welfare (MMACC) contract.
This decision sidelines&nbsp;UnitedHealth Group Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>),&nbsp;CVS&nbsp;Health Corp&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVS#NYSE">CVS</a>), and&nbsp;Molina Healthcare Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MOH#NYSE">MOH</a>) from the state&#8217;s Medicaid market. Centene stands to benefit the most, maintaining its dominant position.&nbsp;
The contract spans six years and is slated to commence in October.
Florida law mandates that SMMC health plans be re-procured every six years; this was the second re-procurement.&nbsp;
Through a regular, established competitive procurement process, the Agency negotiated and selected health plans to provide Managed Medical Assistance (MMA) and Long-term Care (LTC) services to the more than 3.4 million Florida people enrolled in the SMMC program.
Stephens adds that the results suggest the best possible outcome in Centene&#8217;s expected scenario of member loss.&nbsp;
They recommend increasing the company&#8217;s overall share of Florida Medicaid. Additionally, the analyst anticipates Elevance Health and Humana will increase their membership by approximately 28% and 26%, respectively.
Oppenheimer&nbsp;writes that this outcome is ideal for Centene as it maintains its market share, exceeding expectations of substantial losses despite its high market presence.
Oppenheimer notes that Humana was a large beneficiary with around 147k members.
CVS Health, UnitedHealth, and Molina missed out, possibly prompting protests that could delay the implementation start date until January 1, 2025.&nbsp;
Overall, the market will likely view the re-procurement as a major success for CNC, which should boost its stock, particularly considering recent letdowns in smaller re-procurements.
Price Action: CNC shares are up 3.23% at $73.02, and MOH shares are down 4.65% at $359.07 on the last check Monday.
Photo via Shutterstock

Government

Health Care

See How Florida's Much Awaited Medicaid Re-Procurement Awards Impact Centene, Humana, Molina

Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Sarah James reiterates Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) with a Neutral and maintains $391 price target.

Reiteration

Cantor Fitzgerald Reiterates Neutral on Humana, Maintains $391 Price Target

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Humana. Our analysis of options history for Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) revealed 13 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 53% of traders were bullish, while 46% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 7 were puts, with a value of $463,902, and 6 were calls, valued at $260,550.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $200.0 and $340.0 for Humana, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Humana's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Humana's whale activity within a strike price range from $200.0 to $340.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Humana Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1712692879_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$5.0</td>
<td>$4.9</td>
<td>$5.0</td>
<td>$315.00</td>
<td>$126.5K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$30.1</td>
<td>$29.8</td>
<td>$30.1</td>
<td>$330.00</td>
<td>$105.3K</td>
<td>88</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$11.9</td>
<td>$11.6</td>
<td>$11.6</td>
<td>$315.00</td>
<td>$64.9K</td>
<td>137</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/03/24</td>
<td>$11.5</td>
<td>$11.3</td>
<td>$11.3</td>
<td>$320.00</td>
<td>$58.7K</td>
<td>23</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">12</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$116.4</td>
<td>$114.2</td>
<td>$116.4</td>
<td>$220.00</td>
<td>$58.2K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Humana</h3>
Humana is one of the largest private health insurers in the U.S. with a focus on administering Medicare Advantage plans. The firm has built a niche specializing in government-sponsored programs, with nearly all its medical membership stemming from individual and group Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and the military's Tricare program. The firm is also a leader in stand-alone prescription drug plans for seniors enrolled in traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Beyond medical insurance, the company provides other healthcare services, including primary-care services, at-home services, and pharmacy benefit management.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Humana, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>Humana's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 569,584, the HUM's price is down by 0.0%, now at $317.0. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 15 days.</li>
</ul>
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Humana, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Providing a diverse range of perspectives from bullish to bearish, 21 analysts have published ratings on Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) in the last three months.
In the table below, you'll find a summary of their recent ratings, revealing the shifting sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the previous months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Indifferent</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">6</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">7</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">8</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">3</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">6</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts have recently evaluated Humana and provided 12-month price targets. The average target is $428.95, accompanied by a high estimate of $630.00 and a low estimate of $310.00. A decline of 15.62% from the prior average price target is evident in the current average. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1712581208_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Understanding Analyst Ratings: A Comprehensive Breakdown</h2>
The standing of Humana among financial experts is revealed through an in-depth exploration of recent analyst actions. The summary below outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Stephen Baxter</td>
<td>Wells Fargo</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$413.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sarah James</td>
<td>Cantor Fitzgerald</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$391.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nathan Rich</td>
<td>Goldman Sachs</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$385.00</td>
<td>$450.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Andrew Mok</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$310.00</td>
<td>$356.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gary Taylor</td>
<td>TD Cowen</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$396.00</td>
<td>$427.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kevin Fischbeck</td>
<td>B of A Securities</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$342.00</td>
<td>$470.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Andrew Mok</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Announces</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$356.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stephen Baxter</td>
<td>Wells Fargo</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$413.00</td>
<td>$465.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nathan Rich</td>
<td>Goldman Sachs</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$450.00</td>
<td>$515.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ann Hynes</td>
<td>Mizuho</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$400.00</td>
<td>$550.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sarah James</td>
<td>Cantor Fitzgerald</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$391.00</td>
<td>$597.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Scott Fidel</td>
<td>Stephens &amp; Co.</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$430.00</td>
<td>$550.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kevin Caliendo</td>
<td>UBS</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$370.00</td>
<td>$530.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ben Hendrix</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$415.00</td>
<td>$507.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nathan Rich</td>
<td>Goldman Sachs</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$450.00</td>
<td>$515.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>George Hill</td>
<td>Deutsche Bank</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$360.00</td>
<td>$595.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>David Macdonald</td>
<td>Truist Securities</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$550.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sarah James</td>
<td>Cantor Fitzgerald</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$597.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ben Hendrix</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$507.00</td>
<td>$599.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nathan Rich</td>
<td>Goldman Sachs</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$515.00</td>
<td>$595.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael Wiederhorn</td>
<td>Oppenheimer</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$630.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Responding to changing market dynamics and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their response to recent developments related to Humana. This offers insight into analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Providing a comprehensive analysis, analysts offer qualitative assessments, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings reflect expectations for the relative performance of Humana compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Understanding forecasts, analysts offer estimates for Humana's future value. Examining the current and prior targets provides insight into analysts' changing expectations.</li>
</ul>
Capture valuable insights into Humana's market standing by understanding these analyst evaluations alongside pertinent financial indicators. Stay informed and make strategic decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/HUM/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Humana analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Delving into Humana's Background</h2>
Humana is one of the largest private health insurers in the U.S. with a focus on administering Medicare Advantage plans. The firm has built a niche specializing in government-sponsored programs, with nearly all its medical membership stemming from individual and group Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and the military's Tricare program. The firm is also a leader in stand-alone prescription drug plans for seniors enrolled in traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Beyond medical insurance, the company provides other healthcare services, including primary-care services, at-home services, and pharmacy benefit management.
<h3>A Deep Dive into Humana's Financials</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: The company's market capitalization is below the industry average, suggesting that it is relatively smaller compared to peers. This could be due to various factors, including perceived growth potential or operational scale.
Revenue Growth: Over the 3 months period, Humana showcased positive performance, achieving a revenue growth rate of 17.93% as of 31 December, 2023. This reflects a substantial increase in the company's top-line earnings. In comparison to its industry peers, the company stands out with a growth rate higher than the average among peers in the Health Care sector.
Net Margin: Humana's net margin is below industry averages, indicating potential challenges in maintaining strong profitability. With a net margin of -2.04%, the company may face hurdles in effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): Humana's ROE surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive -3.26% ROE, the company effectively utilizes shareholder equity capital.
Return on Assets (ROA): Humana's ROA excels beyond industry benchmarks, reaching -1.05%. This signifies efficient management of assets and strong financial health.
Debt Management: With a high debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, Humana faces challenges in effectively managing its debt levels, indicating potential financial strain.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: Simplified</h2>
Benzinga tracks 150 analyst firms and reports on their stock expectations. Analysts typically arrive at their conclusions by predicting how much money a company will make in the future, usually the upcoming five years, and how risky or predictable that company's revenue streams are.
Analysts attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish their ratings on stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter or whenever the company has a major update.
In addition to their assessments, some analysts extend their insights by offering predictions for key metrics such as earnings, revenue, and growth estimates. This supplementary information provides further guidance for traders. It is crucial to recognize that, despite their specialization, analysts are human and can only provide forecasts based on their beliefs.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

The Analyst Landscape: 21 Takes On Humana

Wells Fargo analyst Stephen Baxter maintains Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) with a Overweight and lowers the price target from $413 to $350.

Wells Fargo Maintains Overweight on Humana, Lowers Price Target to $350

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with HUM, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=insights">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 13 uncommon options trades for Humana.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 53% bullish and 46%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 6 are puts, for a total amount of $1,735,412, and 7 are calls, for a total amount of $604,113.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $270.0 and $410.0 for Humana, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Humana's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Humana's significant trades, within a strike price range of $270.0 to $410.0, over the past month.
<h3>Humana Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1712338257_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$49.9</td>
<td>$46.3</td>
<td>$49.5</td>
<td>$340.00</td>
<td>$1.4M</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">19</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">341</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$6.6</td>
<td>$6.4</td>
<td>$6.4</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$323.8K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">129</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">516</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$10.0</td>
<td>$9.7</td>
<td>$10.0</td>
<td>$325.00</td>
<td>$100.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">225</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">103</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$42.0</td>
<td>$38.7</td>
<td>$39.7</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$91.3K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">380</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$24.5</td>
<td>$23.3</td>
<td>$24.0</td>
<td>$280.00</td>
<td>$74.4K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">3</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">31</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Humana</h3>
Humana is one of the largest private health insurers in the U.S. with a focus on administering Medicare Advantage plans. The firm has built a niche specializing in government-sponsored programs, with nearly all its medical membership stemming from individual and group Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and the military's Tricare program. The firm is also a leader in stand-alone prescription drug plans for seniors enrolled in traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Beyond medical insurance, the company provides other healthcare services, including primary-care services, at-home services, and pharmacy benefit management.
Having examined the options trading patterns of Humana, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Humana's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 520,843, the HUM's price is down by -0.67%, now at $307.97. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 19 days.</li>
</ul>
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Humana with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

Check Out What Whales Are Doing With HUM

The United States stock market opened today to a cautious post-Easter floor as healthcare systems see the brunt of trepidation.
The U.S. stock market has seen a boom in the first quarter of 2024, which had investors looking forward to the rest of the year, but the sluggish start to April has those purse strings guarded, especially for the healthcare sector.
<h2>Healthcare stocks slide</h2>
After the shock announcement that private Medicare payments would not be boosted to expected rates, the healthcare scene in the stock market has shown a sharp decline.
Walk-In pharmacy CVS had its shares slide by 6%, as did United Healthcare. Cetene fell 5% and Elevance Health&nbsp;(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/elv#NYSE">ELV</a>) saw the smallest slip by 2%. One of the main losers from the announcement was Humana (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hum#NYSE">HUM</a>), which is deeply dependent on Medicare Advantage from Medicare. The healthcare provider was hit with a 10% plunge.
The announcement made by the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) shows that those Wall Street Traders had gotten it wrong for the first time in a decade. These fact sheets show the breakdown of the CMS Rate Announcement
This has put more pressure on healthcare insurers and medical providers who are still scrabbling to recover from the recent cyber-attack on the United Health Group (UHG).
UHG released the following on the cyber attack, saying &quot;We are committed to providing relief for people affected by this malicious attack on the U.S. health system&quot; said Andrew Witty, CEO of United Health Group. &quot;All of us at UnitedHealth Group feel a deep sense of responsibility for recovery and are working tirelessly to ensure that providers can care for their patients and run their practices, and that patients can get their medications. We&#39;re determined to make this right as fast as possible.&quot;
The UHG also released confirmation to TechCrunch via Vice President at UnitedHealth, Tyler Mason saying &quot;Change Healthcare can confirm we are experiencing a cyber security issue perpetrated by a cybercrime threat actor who has represented itself to us as ALPHV/Blackcat.&quot;
Change Healthcare is a subsidiary of UHG and handles the prescription medications of over 67, 000 pharmacies throughout the United States. Making this ransomware attack one of the biggest to hit the United States overall.
The United States Justice Rewards Programme released a plea for information about the cyber attackers on X:
<blockquote>Help Us Trap This Cat
ALPHV/BlackCat-linked actors have targeted more than 400 victims worldwide.
If you have info on this ransomware-as-a-service group, or associated individuals or entities, contact us.
You could be eligible for a reward or relocation. <a href="https://t.co/GzvjzFEFux">pic.twitter.com/GzvjzFEFux</a>
&mdash; Rewards for Justice (@RFJ_USA) <a href="https://twitter.com/RFJ_USA/status/1772972321218650290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2024</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Those in the health insurance industry will be hoping these attackers can be brought to justice and for normal service to resume to stem the bleed of stock value on the world&#39;s biggest trading platform.
The post <a href="https://due.com/healthcare-stocks-take-a-hit-after-trepidation-in-the-market-continues/">Healthcare stocks take a hit after trepidation in the market continues</a> appeared first on <a href="https://due.com">Due</a>.
The article &quot;<a href="https://www.marketbeat.com/articles/healthcare-stocks-take-a-hit-after-trepidation-in-the-market-continues-2024-04-02/">Healthcare stocks take a hit after trepidation in the market continues</a>&quot; first appeared on MarketBeat.

Healthcare Stocks Take a Hit After Trepidation In the Market Continues

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in HUM usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 15 extraordinary options activities for Humana. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 40% leaning bullish and 60% bearish. Among these notable options, 9 are puts, totaling $561,550, and 6 are calls, amounting to $235,546.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $200.0 to $420.0 for Humana during the past quarter. 
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Humana options trades today is 202.21 with a total volume of 867.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Humana's big money trades within a strike price range of $200.0 to $420.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Humana Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1712158274_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$116.9</td>
<td>$112.5</td>
<td>$112.5</td>
<td>$420.00</td>
<td>$270.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">99</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$133.0</td>
<td>$129.0</td>
<td>$129.0</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$64.5K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">10</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/03/24</td>
<td>$19.1</td>
<td>$18.2</td>
<td>$18.7</td>
<td>$320.00</td>
<td>$56.1K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">38</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">31</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$50.2</td>
<td>$45.4</td>
<td>$46.5</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$51.1K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">365</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">11</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/05/24</td>
<td>$12.1</td>
<td>$11.5</td>
<td>$11.5</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$46.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">286</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">73</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Humana</h3>
Humana is one of the largest private health insurers in the U.S. with a focus on administering Medicare Advantage plans. The firm has built a niche specializing in government-sponsored programs, with nearly all its medical membership stemming from individual and group Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and the military's Tricare program. The firm is also a leader in stand-alone prescription drug plans for seniors enrolled in traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Beyond medical insurance, the company provides other healthcare services, including primary-care services, at-home services, and pharmacy benefit management.
In light of the recent options history for Humana, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Humana's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 850,668, the price of HUM is up 0.61% at $306.2. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 21 days.</li>
</ul>
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Humana, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Humana Unusual Options Activity

Goldman Sachs analyst Nathan Rich maintains Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $450 to $385.

Goldman Sachs Maintains Buy on Humana, Lowers Price Target to $385

Barclays analyst Andrew Mok maintains Humana (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) with a Equal-Weight and lowers the price target from $356 to $310.

Barclays Maintains Equal-Weight on Humana, Lowers Price Target to $310

UnitedHealth sends beaten-down peers higher after Q1 results

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
People are interested in ETFs for weight loss because of Oprah&rsquo;s TV show &ldquo;Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution,&rdquo; which was about weight loss drugs. A lot of people are upset that she&rsquo;s talking to patients and doctors about using prescription drugs to lose weight, but it&rsquo;s still causing a stir.



It&rsquo;s also big news that <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2024/03/15/oprah-winfrey-weight-watchers-exit-medication-abc-special/72987200007/#:~:text=Oprah%20Winfrey%20opens%20up%20about%20exiting%20Weight%20Watchers%20after%20using%20weight%20loss%20drug&amp;text=Oprah%20Winfrey%20is%20opening%20up,weight%20loss%20medication%20in%202023.">Oprah is leaving the Weight Watchers board</a>. The fact that she backs drugs like Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic shows how times are changing for everyone. It&rsquo;s always been hard for the famous talk show host to lose weight. But because she was so famous, everything she suggested to lose weight sold out very quickly.



In other words, we see the same pattern with drugs that help people lose weight. Because of <a href="https://time.com/6958224/oprah-weight-loss-special-ozempic/">Oprah&rsquo;s ABC special</a>, the dieting business and the practice of dieting are changing. This is like what happened when she really tried to lose weight in 1998. The only difference is the methodology she&rsquo;s adopting.



But be careful while Oprah fights the social shame that comes with losing weight with Ozempic. Not only does Ozempic have side effects, but a lot of new medicines need testing.



Then, what is the safest thing to do with this trend? Investing in the best exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for weight loss can open up a lot of health and fitness-related doors for you. While Oprah plugs diet pills, let&rsquo;s look at three exchange-traded funds that can help you lose weight.



<h2>iShares US Healthcare Providers ETF (IHF)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/healthcare1600d-300x169.jpg" alt="Healthcare professional in green scrubs standing with arms crossed."><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>The iShares US Healthcare Providers ETF (NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ihf-stock-quote/">IHF</a>), up 11% in the past year, boasts a competitive expense ratio of 0.40% and a dividend yield of 0.78%. It is riding the Oprah momentum, which is turning back the clock to the late 90s. <a href="https://investorplace.com/cryptocurrency//"></a>



The expense ratio indicates the amount you will pay to own a fund over the course of a year. In this case, it is pretty reasonable, meaning there are no complaints to management. The yield might seem a bit ordinary, but this is an ETF we are talking about.



At the end of last year, IHF divided its shares five-to-one to reduce their value and increase the number of outstanding shares, which improved accessibility. 



One of the oldest weight-loss ETFs available, IHF focuses on the healthcare and nursing home industries and tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Select Health Care Providers Index.



Its reduced volatility in correlation with the market overall as a whole gives it the attributes of medium risk, which exhibits a beta of 0.72 and standard deviation of 17.20% over a 3-year historical time period.



IHF&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.ishares.com/us/products/239510/ishares-us-healthcare-providers-etf">portfolio&rsquo;s top holdings</a>, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/unh-stock-quote/">UNH</a>), CVS Health (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/cvs-stock-quote/">CVS</a>), Cigna (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ci-stock-quote/">CI</a>) and Humana (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/hum-stock-quote/">HUM</a>), at 22%, 4%, 10% and 4%, respectively, offer many wellness programs that can ride the current Oprah momentum to the bank. These programs include diet plans from Humana, over-the-counter weight loss supplements at CVS MinuteClinics, nutritional counseling from Cigna and weight management plans through UnitedHealth&rsquo;s Optum.



<h2>The Obesity ETF (SLIM)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/healthcare-stocks1600-300x169.png" alt="drugs pill and stock chart growing up with money, business and economic news background. business profit analysis trend and future. hospital and healthcare segment. Healthcare stocks"><div>Source: WHYFRAME / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Janus Henderson&rsquo;s The Obesity ETF (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/slim-stock-quote/">SLIM</a>) tracks the performance of global companies offering obesity-related services, but the twist is that several fields fall under this category. Just as we saw with IHF, there is no singular way to invest in healthcare, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, plus-size clothing, weight loss programs and medical devices.



The Obesity ETF invests at least 80% of its net assets in the stocks that comprise the&nbsp;Solactive Obesity Index. Its lack of diversity compared to other exchange-traded funds means it may favor investing in specific companies or industries.



At $11.63 million in net worth, SLIM offers a dividend yield of 0.57%. The fund&rsquo;s disastrous losses as of late &mdash; a year-to-date total loss of 11.27% &mdash; are due to the unpredictable nature of the healthcare industry.



Companies involved in treating diabetes and obesity account for about three quarters of SLIM&rsquo;s assets. Regarding ownership, Novo Nordisk&lsquo;s (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/nvo-stock-quote/">NVO</a>) 20% and DexCom&lsquo;s (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/dxcm-stock-quote/">DXCM</a>) 13% are at the top.



As a weight loss product manufacturer, SLIM owns Novo Nordisk and Herbalife (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/hlf-stock-quote/">HLF</a>). Obese adults can take one of two weight management medications made by industry giant Novo Nordisk: Wegovy or Saxenda. Among Herbalife&rsquo;s many health and weight loss aids are protein shakes, bars and teas. It&rsquo;s worth remembering that Wegovy is a name that has been popping up a lot ever since Oprah decided to create a major cultural boost for these prescription drugs.



Several prominent <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SLIM/holdings/">companies are part of its portfolio</a>, including Tandem Diabetes Care (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/tndm-stock-quote/">TNDM</a>), Insulet Corporation (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/podd-stock-quote/">PODD</a>), and DexCom. Weight loss aids made by these companies, which boost metabolic health, make managing diabetes easier. Healthcare providers and medical device manufacturers all have an indirect interest in helping with weight management.



<h2>VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/pharmaceutical1600-300x169.png" alt="pharmaceutical industry. Production line machine conveyor with glass bottles ampoules at factory"><div>Source: Dmitry Kalinovsky / Shutterstock.com</div></div>VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF&lsquo;s (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/pph-stock-quote/">PPH</a>) focus on pharmaceuticals makes for an interesting analysis. It&rsquo;s the main beneficiary of the Oprah-led boom.



The ETF has increased by more than 7% to $85.44 in the last year. Shares are issued and redeemed on demand by this open-ended investment company. On Mar. 31, net assets and share class size totaled $543.2 million.



With a net expense ratio of only 0.36%, this shows the fund&rsquo;s operational expenditures are managed effectively. 



VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF&rsquo;s portfolio helped develop weight-loss and treatment drugs. Tigepatide, sold as Mounjaro, has made Eli Lilly (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lly-stock-quote/">LLY</a>) a weight loss pharmaceutical giant. Tirzepatide, first approved for type 2 diabetes, regulates hunger and insulin secretion by blocking GLP-1 and GIP receptors. This medication can reduce weight by 20% in overweight or obese non-diabetics.



Novo Nordisk has benefited from semaglutide, which is sold as Wegovy for obesity and Ozempic for diabetes, two names linked to Oprah and her new attitude toward weight management. This chronic weight management program helps patients lose 15%, making Wegovy famous. 



On the date of publication, Faizan Farooque did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.&nbsp;The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Faizan Farooque is a contributing author for InvestorPlace.com and numerous other financial sites. Faizan has several years of experience in analyzing the stock market and was a former data journalist at S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence. His passion is to help the average investor make more informed decisions regarding their portfolio.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/04/3-weight-loss-etfs-to-profit-from-the-obesity-drug-boom/">3 Weight-Loss ETFs to Profit From the Obesity Drug Boom</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

3 Weight-Loss ETFs to Profit From the Obesity Drug Boom

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Press Releases

Humana and Strive Health Announce Expansion of Holistic, Patient-Centered Care for People with Kidney Disease

Humana Prices $2.25 Billion Debt Offering

AM Best Assigns Issue Credit Ratings to Humana Inc.'s New Senior Unsecured Notes and New Shelf Registrations

Humana Completes Aggregate $2.25 Billion Debt Offering