10-QPeriod: Q1 FY2016

CENTENE CORP Quarterly Report for Q1 Ended Mar 31, 2016

Filed April 26, 2016For Securities:CNC

Summary

Centene Corporation (CNC) reported significant changes in its first quarter 2016 results, largely driven by the transformative acquisition of Health Net, Inc. on March 24, 2016. This acquisition immediately impacted the company's financial statements, adding eight days of Health Net's operations and substantially increasing its membership base by 162% year-over-year to 11.5 million. Total revenues saw a robust 36% increase to $7.0 billion, primarily fueled by expansions, new programs, and the Health Net acquisition. However, the quarter resulted in a net loss of $17 million, or $(0.14) per diluted share, a sharp contrast to the prior year's net earnings of $63 million. This loss was significantly influenced by $189 million in Health Net acquisition-related expenses, which included investment banking fees, charitable contributions, and employee termination costs. Excluding these one-time expenses and intangible asset amortization, Adjusted Diluted EPS stood at $0.74, compared to $0.55 in the prior year, indicating underlying operational improvements amidst the integration. Financially, the company experienced a substantial increase in total assets, from $7.3 billion to $18.7 billion, reflecting the acquisition. Long-term debt also surged to $4.3 billion from $1.2 billion, primarily to fund the Health Net transaction. Operating cash flow strengthened to $195 million, a significant improvement from $45 million in the prior year, suggesting healthy cash generation from core operations despite the acquisition-related costs. Investors should note the company's strategic pivot towards growth through acquisitions, the substantial integration efforts underway, and the impact of these on short-term profitability. The company's future performance will depend on its ability to successfully integrate Health Net, realize expected synergies, and manage its expanded operational footprint while navigating the complexities of government-sponsored healthcare programs.

Financial Statements
Beta
Revenue$6.95B
SG&A Expenses$722.00M
Operating Expenses$6.93B
Operating Income$20.00M
Interest Expense$33.00M
Net Income-$16.00M
EPS (Basic)$-0.07
EPS (Diluted)$-0.07
Shares Outstanding (Basic)251.09M
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)251.09M

Key Highlights

  • 1Completed the significant acquisition of Health Net, Inc. on March 24, 2016, substantially increasing membership by 162% to 11.5 million and total revenues by 36% to $7.0 billion for the quarter.
  • 2Reported a net loss of $17 million ($0.14/share) for the quarter, heavily impacted by $189 million in acquisition-related expenses, compared to a net earning of $63 million ($0.51/share) in Q1 2015.
  • 3Excluding acquisition expenses and intangible amortization, Adjusted Diluted EPS was $0.74, demonstrating operational strength despite integration costs.
  • 4Total assets more than doubled to $18.7 billion from $7.3 billion, largely due to the Health Net acquisition.
  • 5Long-term debt increased significantly to $4.3 billion from $1.2 billion, primarily to finance the Health Net acquisition.
  • 6Operating cash flow improved substantially to $195 million from $45 million in the prior year.
  • 7The Managed Care segment reported a loss from operations of $22 million, significantly impacted by acquisition costs, while the Specialty Services segment saw earnings increase to $42 million.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary driver was the acquisition of Health Net, Inc., which closed on March 24, 2016. This acquisition significantly increased Centene's membership, revenues, and assets, but also led to substantial acquisition-related expenses that resulted in a net loss for the quarter.

The acquisition led to a reported net loss of $17 million for the quarter. This was largely due to $189 million in acquisition-related expenses and integration costs. However, on an adjusted basis (excluding these one-time items and intangible asset amortization), the company reported an Adjusted Diluted EPS of $0.74, indicating underlying operational profitability.

The company is focused on integrating Health Net's operations and realizing anticipated synergies. While the short-term results were impacted by acquisition costs, the expanded scale and diversification are expected to drive future growth. Investors will be looking for successful integration and continued operational improvements in government-sponsored healthcare programs.

Centene's balance sheet saw significant changes, with total assets more than doubling to $18.7 billion from $7.3 billion. This increase is primarily due to the assets acquired from Health Net. Correspondingly, total liabilities also increased, with long-term debt rising to $4.3 billion from $1.2 billion, reflecting the financing used for the acquisition.