
New Target for Fat-Burning Drugs Discovered in Mice Study
METHODOLOGY:
Brown and beige fat tissue burns energy to produce heat in response to cold exposure and, in rodents, protects against obesity and its metabolic consequences; inducing the browning of white adipose tissue in people may be a promising treatment strategy for obesity.
Researchers in China conducted animal experiments to investigate the role of BAP1 in the browning of white adipose tissue and its underlying mechanisms.
They examined BAP1 and its key molecular partners using several genetic variations in mice, including those with BAP1 knockdown or overexpression, those with a knockout of the principal brown fat mediating protein, and wild type.
Mice were evaluated under several conditions, including obesity induced with a high-fat diet and a cold challenge.
They assessed serum and tissues, as well as isolated cells from a fat deposit (inguinal) equivalent to human gluteal and thigh fat, for molecular and phenotypic changes, as well as metabolism-related parameters.
TAKEAWAY:
BAP1 expression was lower in the inguinal white adipose tissue of cold-induced mice but higher in obese conditions.
Overexpression of BAP1 suppressed browning of the white inguinal fat and blocked an energy-burning thermogenesis response.
On a high-fat diet, knockdown mice without BAP1 were spared most of the weight gain, impaired glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity experienced by mice with BAP1.
Mechanistically, BAP1 negatively regulates the browning of inguinal white adipose tissue, possibly through a mechanism that inhibits expression of genes essential for browning.
IN PRACTICE:
'Our findings unveil a novel function of BAP1 mediated by KDM1B in iWAT [inguinal white adipose tissue] browning, thereby offering a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders,' the study authors wrote.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Pengchao Wang, Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. It was published online in Diabetes .
LIMITATIONS:
While the study demonstrates BAP1 can inhibit the direct conversion of white fat into beige fat, it may also influence browning by modulating beige adipogenesis. Also, though BAP1 expression remains unchanged in brown adipose tissue during cold exposure, the researchers could not exclude its potential role in thermogenesis, suggesting the existence of other signaling pathways that bypass BAP1 in regulating thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue. Further animal studies are required to provide more compelling evidence, the authors noted.
DISCLOSURES:
The study was supported by grants from Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases – National Science and Technology Major Project, National Natural Science Foundation of China, and Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
The Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor Receiver Recall: What You Need to Do to Stay Safe
Some of Dexcom's continuous glucose monitoring receivers have been recalled due to speaker malfunctions, which can cause you to miss alerts or alarms for dangerous blood sugar levels. According to the Class I recall, there have been 112 complaints globally, with 56 reported injuries, since May 2025. Missing an alert from your continuous glucose monitor may result in health consequences like vomiting, seizures, loss of consciousness and hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic symptoms. Certain Dexcom G6, G7, One and One Plus receivers are included in this recall. The One and One Plus receivers are available outside of the US. Dexcom is one of the most popular continuous glucose monitor brands, and many people with diabetes use Dexcom devices to track their glucose levels in real time. According to Dexcom's update, even without the audio output from the speaker, your receiver will still alert you through vibration and visual prompts. However, that's only so helpful when many people keep their receivers in their pockets or bags. People who use the mobile app for glucose values, alerts and alarms will still be able to do so without interruption. If you own a Dexcom continuous glucose monitor, here's what you should do right now A continuous glucose monitoring system has three parts: the glucose sensor you wear, a transmitter and the small receiver you keep for alerts. The receiver is being recalled, not the sensor you wear, so you shouldn't expect the readings you get from your device to be inaccurate. If you use a Dexcom continuous glucose monitor, check the complete list of affected devices for the model and serial number. You can also go to Dexcom's website to see if your device is affected. These numbers are on the back of your receiver. If your device is affected, contact Dexcom immediately for a free replacement. Continuous glucose monitors aren't something you can just stop using, so it's essential to get in your replacement order as soon as possible. Remember, while you wait, that there's a chance your receiver speaker isn't working correctly and you will not be alerted with a sound to spikes or drops in your blood sugar. You should regularly test the speakers each time you charge your receiver. When you plug the receiver in, the Speaker Test screen will appear for a few seconds. To test your sound, follow the directions on the screen. If it doesn't beep, then it's time to contact Dexcom. Remember that it's important to continue testing your speaker over time. Checking it once doesn't mean it can't fail in the future. Even if your device isn't under recall, this is a good habit to have. You can also test your receiver's speaker at any time through the device's menu. For support during this recall, contact Dexcom technical support at 1-844-478-1600.

Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
CENTENE CORPORATION REPORTS SECOND QUARTER 2025 RESULTS
-- Diluted Loss Per Share of $(0.51); Adjusted Diluted Loss Per Share of $(0.16) -- ST. LOUIS, July 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) (the Company) announced today its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025. In summary, the 2025 second quarter results were as follows: Total revenues (in millions) $ 48,742 Premium and service revenues (in millions) $ 42,467 Health benefits ratio 93.0 % SG&A expense ratio 7.1 % Adjusted SG&A expense ratio (1) 7.1 % GAAP diluted loss per share $ (0.51) Adjusted diluted loss per share (1) $ (0.16) Total cash flow provided by operations (in millions) $ 1,785 (1) Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. A full reconciliation of the adjusted diluted loss per share and adjusted selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses is shown in the Non-GAAP Financial Presentation section of this release. "We are disappointed by our second quarter results, but we have a clear understanding of the trends that have impacted our performance, and are working with urgency and focus to restore our earnings trajectory," said Chief Executive Officer of Centene, Sarah M. London. "Despite the shifting landscape, we believe that the staying power of Medicaid, Medicare and the Individual Marketplace is as strong as it has ever been. Centene has significantly fortified our platform in service of these programs over the last three years, and as we move forward, we are focused on continuing to adapt with the market to deliver meaningful value to our members, our stakeholders and our shareholders over the long term." Awards & Community Engagement Since May, Centene and its Missouri subsidiary, Home State Health, have been supporting the St. Louis community impacted by tornadoes through donations as well as volunteer hours. In June, WellCare of Kentucky announced relief efforts to support communities impacted by the tornadoes in Eastern Kentucky. WellCare, with additional funding from the Centene Foundation, will support housing and rebuilding, disperse financial assistance, and provide basic supplies to help people recover. In June, Centene was named one of Newsweek's America's Greatest Workplaces for the third consecutive year. The recognition is based on employee feedback about company culture, leadership, integrity, compensation, work-life balance, and more. In May, the Company was also named to Becker's 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare and to Newsweek's America's Greatest Workplaces for Gen Z 2025, for the second consecutive year. In May, Health Net and the Centene Foundation announced grants to expand healthcare services to underserved Californians through mobile health clinics. The investment is part of Health Net's new Mobile Outreach for Value, Equity and Sustainability (MOVES) program that targets rural or resource-limited areas and will help deliver preventative care, health education, and social services directly to neighborhoods facing barriers to traditional healthcare access. Membership The following table sets forth membership by line of business:June 30,20252024 Traditional Medicaid (1) 11,227,40011,640,900 High Acuity Medicaid (2) 1,592,3001,499,000 Total Medicaid 12,819,70013,139,900 Marketplace 5,862,8004,401,300 Individual and Commercial Group (3) 449,700426,400 Total Commercial 6,312,5004,827,700 Medicare (4) 1,026,9001,138,400 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) 7,845,8006,603,600 Total at-risk membership 28,004,90025,709,600 TRICARE eligibles —2,768,000 Total 28,004,90028,477,600(1) Membership includes Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid Expansion, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Foster Care and Behavioral Health. (2) Membership includes Aged, Blind, or Disabled (ABD), Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) and Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMP) Duals. (3) Membership includes Commercial Group, Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) and Other Off-Exchange Individual. (4) Membership includes Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement. Premium and Service Revenues The following table sets forth supplemental revenue information ($ in millions): Three Months Ended June 30, 20252024% Change Medicaid $ 21,723$ 20,2507 % Commercial 10,0708,53518 % Medicare (1) 9,4505,97858 % Other 1,2241,2101 % Total premium and service revenues $ 42,467$ 35,97318 %(1) Medicare includes Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement and Medicare PDP. Statement of Operations: Three Months Ended June 30, 2025 For the second quarter of 2025, premium and service revenues increased 18% to $42.5 billion from $36.0 billion in the comparable period of 2024. The increase was primarily driven by premium and membership growth in the PDP business along with overall market growth in the Marketplace business, and rate increases in the Medicaid business, partially offset by lower Medicaid membership as a result of redeterminations and lower Marketplace net risk adjustment revenue. The three months ended June 30, 2024, benefited from outperformance in Marketplace risk adjustment for the 2023 benefit year. Health benefits ratio (HBR) of 93.0% for the second quarter of 2025 represents an increase from 87.6% in the comparable period in 2024. The increase was primarily driven by a reduction in the Company's net 2025 Marketplace risk adjustment revenue transfer estimate, increased Marketplace medical costs, higher medical costs in Medicaid driven primarily by behavioral health, home health and high-cost drugs, and an increase to the 2025 Medicare Advantage premium deficiency reserve based on the progression of earnings during the year (with higher earnings at the beginning of the year and lower at the end of the year, given cost sharing progression). The SG&A expense ratio was 7.1% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 8.0% in the second quarter of 2024. The adjusted SG&A expense ratio was 7.1% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 8.0% in the second quarter of 2024. The decreases were primarily driven by continued leveraging of expenses over higher revenues and growth in the PDP business. The decreases were partially offset by growth in the Marketplace business, which operates at a meaningfully higher SG&A expense ratio as compared to the overall company. The income tax expense recorded in the second quarter of 2025 reflects the year-to-date impact of a lower estimated full year 2025 effective tax rate. Diluted loss per share was $(0.51) for the second quarter of 2025 driven primarily by a reduction in the Company's net 2025 Marketplace risk adjustment revenue transfer estimate. Cash flow provided by operations for the second quarter of 2025 was $1.8 billion, primarily driven by improved pharmacy rebate remittance timing. Balance Sheet At June 30, 2025, the Company had cash, investments and restricted deposits of $37.5 billion and maintained $234 million of cash and cash equivalents in its unregulated entities. Medical claims liabilities totaled $20.1 billion. The Company's days in claims payable (DCP) was 47 days, a decrease of two days as compared to the first quarter of 2025 driven by the timing and types of claims, as well as the impact of state-directed payments. Total debt was $17.6 billion, which included no borrowings on the $4.0 billion Revolving Credit Facility at quarter end. Outlook The Company will provide 2025 earnings expectations on the conference call. Conference Call As previously announced, the Company will host a conference call Friday, July 25, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. ET to review the financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025. Investors and other interested parties are invited to listen to the conference call by dialing 1-877-883-0383 in the U.S. and Canada; +1-412-902-6506 from abroad, including the following Elite Entry Number: 7878291 to expedite caller registration; or via a live, audio webcast on the Company's website at under the Investors section. A webcast replay will be available for on-demand listening shortly following the completion of the call for the next 12 months or until 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, July 24, 2026, at the aforementioned URL. In addition, a digital audio playback will be available until 9 a.m. ET on Friday, August 1, 2025, by dialing 1-877-344-7529 in the U.S., 1-855-669-9658 in Canada, or +1-412-317-0088 from abroad, and entering access code 7322068. Non-GAAP Financial Presentation The Company is providing certain non-GAAP financial measures in this release as the Company believes that these figures are helpful in allowing investors to more accurately assess the ongoing nature of the Company's operations and measure the Company's performance more consistently across periods. The Company uses the presented non-GAAP financial measures internally in evaluating the Company's performance and for planning purposes, by allowing management to focus on period-to-period changes in the Company's core business operations, and in determining employee incentive compensation. Therefore, the Company believes that this information is meaningful in addition to the information contained in the GAAP presentation of financial information. The Company strongly encourages investors to review its consolidated financial statements and publicly filed reports in their entirety and cautions investors that the non-GAAP financial measures used by the Company may differ from similar measures used by other companies, even when similar terms are used to identify such measures. The presentation of non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, the Company believes the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures that excludes amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition and divestiture related expenses, as well as other items, allows investors to develop a more meaningful understanding of the Company's core performance over time. The tables below provide reconciliations of non-GAAP items ($ in millions, except per share data):Three Months Ended June 30,Six Months Ended June 30,2025202420252024 GAAP net earnings (loss) attributable to Centene $ (253)$ 1,146$ 1,058$ 2,309 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 173173346346 Acquisition and divestiture related expenses 16167 Other adjustments (1) 58261(97) Income tax effects of adjustments (2) (58)(44)(100)(126) Adjusted net earnings (loss) $ (79)$ 1,283$ 1,366$ 2,499 (1) Other adjustments include the following pre-tax items: 2025: (a) for the three months ended June 30, 2025: intangible asset impairment related to the wind-down of certain contracts in the Other segment of $55 million and a reduction to the previously reported gain on real estate transactions of $3 million; (b) for the six months ended June 30, 2025: intangible asset impairment related to the wind-down of certain contracts in the Other segment of $55 million, a reduction to the previously reported gain on the sale of Magellan Rx of $10 million and a net gain on real estate transactions of $4 million. 2024: (a) for the three months ended June 30, 2024: gain on the previously reported divestiture of Circle Health of $10 million, an additional loss on the divestiture of our Spanish and Central European businesses of $7 million, severance costs due to a restructuring of $4 million, reduction to the net gain on the sale of property due to closing costs of $3 million and net gain on the finalization of working capital adjustments for the previously reported divestiture of Magellan Specialty Health of $2 million; (b) for the six months ended June 30, 2024: net gain on the previously reported divestiture of Magellan Specialty Health due to the achievement of contingent consideration and finalization of working capital adjustments of $83 million, net gain on the sale of property of $21 million, gain on the previously reported divestiture of Circle Health of $20 million, Health Net Federal Services asset impairment due to the 2024 final ruling on the TRICARE Managed Care Support Contract of $14 million, severance costs due to a restructuring of $13 million, an additional loss on the divestiture of our Spanish and Central European businesses of $7 million and gain on the previously reported divestiture of HealthSmart due to the finalization of working capital adjustments of $7 million. (2) The income tax effects of adjustments are based on the effective income tax rates applicable to each adjustment. Three Months Ended June 30,Six Months Ended June 30,2025202420252024 GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to Centene $ (0.51)$ 2.16$ 2.13$ 4.32 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 0.350.330.700.65 Acquisition and divestiture related expenses —0.01—0.13 Other adjustments (3) 0.12—0.12(0.18) Income tax effects of adjustments (4) (0.12)(0.08)(0.20)(0.24) Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share $ (0.16)$ 2.42$ 2.75$ 4.68 (3) Other adjustments include the following pre-tax items: 2025: (a) for the three months ended June 30, 2025: intangible asset impairment related to the wind-down of certain contracts in the Other segment of $0.11 per share ($0.08 after-tax) and a reduction to the previously reported gain on real estate transactions of $0.01 per share ($0.01 after-tax); (b) for the six months ended June 30, 2025: intangible asset impairment related to the wind-down of certain contracts in the Other segment of $0.11 per share ($0.08 after-tax), a reduction to the previously reported gain on the sale of Magellan Rx of $0.02 ($0.02 after-tax) and a net gain on real estate transactions of $0.01 ($0.01 after-tax); 2024: (a) for the three months ended June 30, 2024: gain on the previously reported divestiture of Circle Health of $0.02 ($0.02 after-tax), an additional loss on the divestiture of our Spanish and Central European businesses of $0.01 ($0.01 after-tax) severance costs due to a restructuring of $0.01 ($0.01 after-tax); (b) for the six months ended June 30, 2024: net gain on the previously reported divestiture of Magellan Specialty Health due to the achievement of contingent consideration and finalization of working capital adjustments of $0.15 ($0.11 after-tax), net gain on the sale of property of $0.04 ($0.03 after-tax), gain on the previously reported divestiture of Circle Health of $0.04 ($0.12 after-tax), Health Net Federal Services asset impairment due to the 2024 final ruling on the TRICARE Managed Care Support Contract of $0.03 ($0.02 after-tax), severance costs due to a restructuring of $0.02 ($0.02 after-tax), an additional loss on the divestiture of our Spanish and Central European businesses of $0.01 ($0.01 after-tax) and gain on the previously reported divestiture of HealthSmart due to the finalization of working capital adjustments of $0.01 ($0.01 after-tax). (4) The income tax effects of adjustments are based on the effective income tax rates applicable to each adjustment. Three Months Ended June 30,Six Months Ended June 30,2025202420252024 GAAP selling, general and administrative expenses $ 3,036$ 2,894$ 6,389$ 6,112 Less:Acquisition and divestiture related expenses 16167 Restructuring costs —4—13 Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses $ 3,035$ 2,884$ 6,388$ 6,032 To provide clarity on the way management defines certain key metrics and ratios, the Company is providing a description of how the metric or ratio is calculated as follows: Health Benefits Ratio (HBR) (GAAP) = Medical costs divided by premium revenues. SG&A Expense Ratio (GAAP) = Selling, general and administrative expenses divided by premium and service revenues. Adjusted SG&A Expense Ratio (non-GAAP) = Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses divided by premium and service revenues. Adjusted Effective Tax Rate (non-GAAP) = GAAP income tax expense (benefit) excluding the income tax effects of adjustments to net earnings divided by adjusted earnings (loss) before income tax expense. Adjusted Net Earnings (non-GAAP) = Net earnings less amortization of acquired intangible assets, less acquisition and divestiture related expenses, as well as adjustments for other items, net of the income tax effect of the adjustments. Adjusted Diluted EPS (non-GAAP) = Adjusted net earnings divided by weighted average common shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis. Debt to Capitalization Ratio (GAAP) = Total debt, divided by total debt plus total stockholder's equity. Average Medical Claims Expense (GAAP) = Medical costs for the period divided by number of days in such period. Average medical claims expense is most often calculated for the quarterly reporting period. Days in Claims Payable (GAAP) = Medical claims liabilities divided by average medical claims expense. Days in claims payable is most often calculated for the quarterly reporting period. In addition, the following terms are defined as follows: State-directed Payments: Payments directed by a state that have minimal risk but are administered as a premium adjustment. These payments are recorded as premium revenue and medical costs at close to a 100% HBR. In many instances, the Company has little visibility to the timing of these payments until they are paid by a state. Pass-through Payments: Non-risk supplemental payments from a state that the Company is required to pass through to designated contracted providers. These payments are recorded as premium tax revenue and premium tax expense. About Centene Corporation Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading healthcare enterprise that is committed to helping people live healthier lives. The Company takes a local approach – with local brands and local teams – to provide fully integrated, high-quality, and cost-effective services to government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Centene offers affordable and high-quality products to more than 1 in 15 individuals across the nation, including Medicaid and Medicare members (including Medicare Prescription Drug Plans) as well as individuals and families served by the Health Insurance Marketplace. Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about the Company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene's investor relations website, Forward-Looking Statements All statements, other than statements of current or historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, forward-looking statements often use words such as "believe," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "estimate," "guidance," "intend," "seek," "target," "goal," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "can," "continue" and other similar words or expressions (and the negative thereof). Centene Corporation and its subsidiaries (Centene, the Company, our or we) intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe-harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and we are including this statement for purposes of complying with these safe-harbor provisions. In particular, these statements include, without limitation, statements about our expected future operating or financial performance, changes in laws and regulations, market opportunity, expectations concerning pricing actions, competition, expected contract start dates and terms, expected activities in connection with completed and future acquisitions and dispositions, our investments, and the adequacy of our available cash resources. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on numerous assumptions and assessments made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, business strategies, operating environments, future developments, and other factors we believe appropriate. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are subject to change because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future, including economic, regulatory, competitive, and other factors that may cause our or our industry's actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to us on the date hereof. Except as may be otherwise required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date hereof. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as actual results may differ materially from projections, estimates, or other forward-looking statements due to a variety of important factors, variables, and events including, but not limited to: our ability to design and price products that are competitive and/or actuarially sound; our ability to accurately predict and effectively manage health benefits and other operating expenses and reserves, including fluctuations in medical costs; rate cuts, insufficient rate changes or other payment reductions or delays by government payors affecting our government businesses; the effect of social, economic, and political conditions, geopolitical events and state and federal policies, including the amount and terms of state and federal funding for government-sponsored healthcare programs, including as a result of changes in U.S. presidential administrations or Congress; changes in federal or state laws or regulations, including changes with respect to income tax reform or government healthcare programs as well as changes with respect to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act (collectively referred to as the ACA) and any regulations enacted thereunder, including the timing and terms of renewal or modification of the enhanced advance premium tax credits or program integrity initiatives that could have the effect of reducing membership or profitability of our products; unanticipated increased healthcare costs, including due to changes in consumer and provider behaviors, inflation and tariffs; our ability to maintain or achieve improvement in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Star ratings and maintain or achieve improvement in other quality scores in each case that could impact revenue and future growth; competition, including for providers, broker distribution networks, contract reprocurements and organic growth; our ability to adequately anticipate demand and timely provide for operational resources to maintain service level requirements in compliance with the terms of our contracts and state and federal regulations; our ability to comply with the terms of our contracts and state and federal regulations and our ability to effectively oversee our third-party vendors to comply with the terms of their contracts with us and state and federal regulations; our ability to manage our information systems effectively; disruption, unexpected costs, or similar risks from business transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, and changes in our relationships with third-party vendors; impairments to real estate, investments, goodwill and intangible assets; changes in senior management, loss of one or more key personnel or an inability to attract, hire, integrate and retain skilled personnel; membership and revenue declines or unexpected trends; changes in healthcare practices, new technologies, and advances in medicine; our ability to effectively and ethically use artificial intelligence and machine learning in compliance with applicable laws; changes in macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, interest rates and volatility in the financial markets; negative public perception of the Company and the managed care industry; uncertainty concerning government shutdowns, debt ceilings or funding; tax matters; disasters, climate-related incidents, acts of war or aggression or major epidemics; changes in expected contract start dates and terms; changes in provider, broker, vendor, state, federal and other contracts and delays in the timing of regulatory approval of contracts, including due to protests and our ability to timely comply with any such changes to our contractual requirements or manage any unexpected delays in regulatory approval of contracts; the expiration, suspension, or termination of our contracts with federal or state governments (including, but not limited to, Medicaid, Medicare or other customers); the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of legal or regulatory audits, investigations, proceedings or matters including, but not limited to, our ability to resolve claims and/or allegations on acceptable terms, or at all, or whether additional claims, reviews or investigations will be brought; challenges to our contract awards; cyber-attacks or other data security incidents or our failure to comply with applicable privacy, data or security laws and regulations; the exertion of management's time and our resources, and other expenses incurred and business changes required in connection with complying with the terms of our contracts and the undertakings in connection with any regulatory, governmental, or third party consents or approvals for acquisitions or dispositions; any changes in expected closing dates, estimated purchase price, or accretion for acquisitions or dispositions; losses in our investment portfolio; restrictions and limitations in connection with our indebtedness; a downgrade of our corporate family rating, issuer rating or credit rating of our indebtedness; the availability of debt and equity financing on terms that are favorable to us and risks and uncertainties discussed in the reports that Centene has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This list of important factors is not intended to be exhaustive. We discuss certain of these matters more fully, as well as certain other factors that may affect our business operations, financial condition, and results of operations, in our filings with the SEC, including our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Due to these important factors and risks, we cannot give assurances with respect to our future performance, including without limitation our ability to maintain adequate premium levels or our ability to control our future medical and selling, general and administrative costs. CENTENE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In millions, except shares in thousands and per share data in dollars) June 30,2025December 31, 2024(Unaudited) ASSETSCurrent assets:Cash and cash equivalents $ 14,513$ 14,063 Premium and trade receivables 21,55219,713 Short-term investments 2,7682,622 Other current assets 1,5561,601 Total current assets 40,38937,999 Long-term investments 18,79717,429 Restricted deposits 1,4111,390 Property, software and equipment, net 2,1222,067 Goodwill 17,55817,558 Intangible assets, net 5,0105,409 Other long-term assets 1,108593 Total assets $ 86,395$ 82,445 LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITYCurrent liabilities:Medical claims liability $ 20,117$ 18,308 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 13,52013,174 Return of premium payable 2,4422,008 Unearned revenue 682661 Current portion of long-term debt 25110 Total current liabilities 36,78634,261 Long-term debt 17,55218,423 Deferred tax liability 651684 Other long-term liabilities 3,9032,567 Total liabilities 58,89255,935 Commitments and contingenciesRedeemable noncontrolling interests 1110 Stockholders' equity:Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; authorized 10,000 shares; no shares issued or outstanding at June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 —— Common stock, $0.001 par value; authorized 800,000 shares; 622,834 issued and 491,128 outstanding at June 30, 2025, and 620,195 issued and 495,907 outstanding at December 31, 2024 11 Additional paid-in capital 20,67120,562 Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) (231)(504) Retained earnings 16,40615,348 Treasury stock, at cost (131,706 and 124,288 shares, respectively) (9,441)(8,997) Total Centene stockholders' equity 27,40626,410 Nonredeemable noncontrolling interest 8690 Total stockholders' equity 27,49226,500 Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and stockholders' equity $ 86,395$ 82,445 CENTENE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In millions, except shares in thousands and per share data in dollars) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended June 30,Six Months Ended June 30,2025202420252024 Revenues:Premium $ 41,740$ 35,140$ 83,452$ 70,669 Service 7278331,5041,641 Premium and service revenues 42,46735,97384,95672,310 Premium tax 6,2753,86310,4067,933 Total revenues 48,74239,83695,36280,243 Expenses:Medical costs 38,80830,76575,31161,697 Cost of services 6416801,3391,349 Selling, general and administrative expenses 3,0362,8946,3896,112 Depreciation expense 141133283268 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 173173346346 Premium tax expense 6,3463,96210,5638,123 Impairment 55—5513 Total operating expenses 49,20038,60794,28677,908 Earnings (loss) from operations (458)1,2291,0762,335 Other income (expense):Investment and other income 3714637531,008 Interest expense (170)(176)(340)(354) Earnings (loss) before income tax (257)1,5161,4892,989 Income tax expense 2370434685 Net earnings (loss) (259)1,1461,0552,304 Loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 6—35 Net earnings (loss) attributable to Centene Corporation $ (253)$ 1,146$ 1,058$ 2,309 Net earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Centene Corporation: Basic earnings (loss) per common share $ (0.51)$ 2.16$ 2.14$ 4.34 Diluted earnings (loss) per common share $ (0.51)$ 2.16$ 2.13$ 4.32 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: Basic 493,548529,602494,896532,385 Diluted 493,548530,755496,328534,517 CENTENE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (In millions, unaudited) Six Months Ended June 30,20252024 Cash flows from operating activities:Net earnings $ 1,055$ 2,304 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activitiesDepreciation and amortization 629614 Stock compensation expense 94132 Impairment 5513 Deferred income taxes (116)40 (Gain) loss on divestitures, net 10(103) Other adjustments, net 16(11) Changes in assets and liabilities Premium and trade receivables (1,801)(1,059) Other assets (543)(404) Medical claims liabilities 1,809173 Unearned revenue 21(118) Accounts payable and accrued expenses 209(1,704) Other long-term liabilities 1,8571,838 Other operating activities, net —4 Net cash provided by operating activities 3,2951,719 Cash flows from investing activities:Capital expenditures (343)(337) Purchases of investments (3,593)(3,434) Sales and maturities of investments 2,5082,497 Divestiture proceeds, net of divested cash —959 Net cash (used in) investing activities (1,428)(315) Cash flows from financing activities:Proceeds from long-term debt 750350 Payments and repurchases of long-term debt (1,707)(565) Common stock repurchases (473)(954) Proceeds from common stock issuances 1825 Other financing activities, net (12)(4) Net cash (used in) financing activities (1,424)(1,148) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash —7 Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents 443263 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 14,15617,452 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 14,599$ 17,715 Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:Interest paid $ 320$ 352 Income taxes paid, net $ 504$ 551 The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents reported within the Consolidated Balance Sheets to the totals above:June 30,20252024 Cash and cash equivalents $ 14,513$ 17,605 Restricted cash and cash equivalents, included in restricted deposits 86110 Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents $ 14,599$ 17,715 CENTENE CORPORATION SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL DATA Q2Q1Q4Q3Q2 20252025202420242024 MEMBERSHIPTraditional Medicaid (1) 11,227,40011,369,40011,408,10011,478,60011,640,900 High Acuity Medicaid (2) 1,592,3001,589,4001,595,4001,590,2001,499,000 Total Medicaid 12,819,70012,958,80013,003,50013,068,80013,139,900 Marketplace 5,862,8005,626,0004,382,1004,501,3004,401,300 Individual and Commercial Group (3) 449,700448,200431,400426,600426,400 Total Commercial 6,312,5006,074,2004,813,5004,927,9004,827,700 Medicare (4) 1,026,9001,043,2001,110,9001,129,9001,138,400 Medicare PDP 7,845,8007,867,8006,925,7006,766,4006,603,600 Total at-risk membership 28,004,90027,944,00025,853,60025,893,00025,709,600 TRICARE eligibles ——2,747,0002,747,0002,768,000 Total 28,004,90027,944,00028,600,60028,640,00028,477,600 (1) Membership includes TANF, Medicaid Expansion, CHIP, Foster Care and Behavioral Health. (2) Membership includes ABD, IDD, LTSS and MMP Duals. (3) Membership includes Commercial Group, ICHRA and Other Off-Exchange Individual. (4) Membership includes Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES 60,30060,40060,50060,70060,000 DAYS IN CLAIMS PAYABLE 4749535154 CASH, INVESTMENTS AND RESTRICTED DEPOSITS (in millions) Regulated $ 36,403$ 35,922$ 34,433$ 35,558$ 37,421 Unregulated 1,0861,0421,0711,1541,078 Total $ 37,489$ 36,964$ 35,504$ 36,712$ 38,499 DEBT TO CAPITALIZATION 39.0 %39.5 %41.2 %39.1 %39.1 % OPERATING RATIOS Three Months Ended June 30,Six Months Ended June 30,2025202420252024 HBR 93.0 %87.6 %90.2 %87.3 % SG&A expense ratio 7.1 %8.0 %7.5 %8.5 % Adjusted SG&A expense ratio 7.1 %8.0 %7.5 %8.3 % HBR BY PRODUCT Three Months Ended June 30,Six Months Ended June 30, 2025202420252024 Medicaid 94.9 %92.8 %94.2 %91.8 % Commercial 90.6 %73.4 %82.8 %73.4 % Medicare (5) 90.9 %89.2 %88.6 %90.0 % (5) Medicare includes Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, D-SNPs and Medicare PDP. MEDICAL CLAIMS LIABILITY The changes in medical claims liability are summarized as follows (in millions): Balance, June 30, 2024$ 18,173 Less: Reinsurance recoverables58 Balance, June 30, 2024, net18,115 Incurred related to: Current period141,488 Prior periods(2,221) Total incurred139,267 Paid related to: Current period123,150 Prior periods14,229 Total paid137,379 Plus: Premium deficiency reserve54 Balance, June 30, 2025, net20,057 Plus: Reinsurance recoverables60 Balance, June 30, 2025$ 20,117 Centene's claims reserving process utilizes a consistent actuarial methodology to estimate Centene's ultimate liability. Any reduction in the "Incurred related to: Prior periods" amount may be offset as Centene actuarially determines the "Incurred related to: Current period." Additionally, approximately $124 million was recorded as a reduction to premium revenues resulting from development within "Incurred related to: Prior periods" due to minimum HBR and other return of premium programs. The amount of the "Incurred related to: Prior periods" above represents favorable development and includes the effects of reserving under moderately adverse conditions, new markets where we use a conservative approach in setting reserves during the initial periods of operations, receipts from other third party payors related to coordination of benefits and lower medical utilization and cost trends for dates of service June 30, 2024, and prior. View original content: SOURCE Centene Corporation Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data


Fast Company
14 hours ago
- Fast Company
Ignoring GenAI is risky for businesses
Sometimes one bad apple can spoil the whole bushel. Generative AI (GenAI) seems to have gotten a bit of that reputation—a few high-profile, epic fails in a range of industries have made many organizations limit internal use of this technology, and sometimes even ban it to reduce business risk. The reality is, despite the inherent risk of hallucinations and inaccuracies, GenAI is rapidly being adopted in industries that hinge on precision and certainty, such as pharmaceutical research, medical diagnostics and legal —industries in which time to insight also drives competitive advantage. Let's take sales as a generic example. Proper use of GenAI tools can speed time to insight significantly, allowing a sales team to improve the quality of their prospects, create meeting summaries and action items, and quickly glean insight from the mountains of client and prospect data that already exist in enterprise systems. This team has a distinct advantage over a competitor that uses manual processes or non-GenAI tools for opportunity analysis. Thus, in sales, the business risk GenAI poses is opportunity risk: the revenue opportunities one loses out on by not using this technology. Let's dive into that. GenAI opportunity risk Broadly speaking, opportunity risk can be thought of as 'the potential loss or missed opportunity that an organization faces by not taking advantage of favorable circumstances or potential benefits.' For companies that ignore GenAI, the resulting opportunity risk can manifest in a wide range of significant ways. Here are three examples of GenAI opportunity risk, from a macro level down to a very individual, in-the-moment view. Drug development research labs risk losing revenue. Drug development research labs are using GenAI to digitally design drug molecules, which are translated in a high-speed automated lab into physical molecules and tested for interaction with target proteins. The test results are used to improve the next design iteration, speeding the overall process. These development labs, which typically partner with pharmaceutical giants, aim to reduce from seven years to four years the time it typically takes to get a new drug to the pre-clinical trial stage—a critical chunk of the $1 billion and 10 to 15 years required, on average, to develop a new drug. The stakes in the global pharmaceutical market are incredibly high, and speed to market can have an enormous impact on revenues. Pharmaceutical companies that don't take advantage of advanced GenAI technologies, either internally or through a development partner, are at a distinct competitive disadvantage and may risk losing billions in future revenues. Software companies are increasingly using GenAI to write code. About 30% of new code at Google and Microsoft is AI-generated, while Meta recently said that AI will take over half of the company's software development within the next year. These BigTech companies, as well as many startups, are finding ways for GenAI to accelerate their pace of software development. Competitors that don't use GenAI to dramatically improve their software development practice face the very sobering opportunity risk of simply being out innovated in the market. Legal teams risk losing a competitive advantage. Legal teams that use GenAI tools in the discovery phase of a legal matter can accelerate their time to insight in ways that are nothing short of game-changing. For example, one Am Law 100 firm used a GenAI tool to review 1 26,000 documents in a government investigation. In doing so, the firm slashed document review time by 50% to 67%, with one quarter of the personnel that a project of this size would typically require. The review achieved accuracy rates of 90% or higher, with performance at or above the firm's benchmark metrics for first-level attorney reviewers. In the moment, this breakthrough gave the team more time to debate the merits of a potential piece of evidence instead of blindly clicking through endless documents. Strategically, the two-thirds reduction in document review time and the 75% reduction in associated headcount gave the law firm an invaluable amount of additional time to develop its case prior to appearing in court. For legal teams that don't use GenAI tools to supercharge their eDiscovery efforts, it's easy to envision any lawyer's nightmare scenario: arriving at court to face off against an adversary who's had far more time to develop their case, based on a solid foundation of facts culled from discovery documents. Who wants to risk that happening?