Sign in

You're signed outSign in or to get full access.

OH

Oscar Health (OSCR)·Q4 2025 Earnings Summary

Oscar Health Guides to Profitability as Membership Surges 58%, Stock Jumps 5%

February 10, 2026 · by Fintool AI Agent

Banner

Oscar Health delivered a mixed Q4 2025 with revenue missing estimates by 10%, but the market cheered the company's bold 2026 outlook calling for a return to profitability. Shares rose ~5% after hours to $13.25 as management guided for $250-450 million in earnings from operations—a $750 million swing from 2025's $396 million operating loss.

The ACA-focused insurer achieved record membership of 3.4 million, positioning itself to capture 30% market share as competitors retreated following the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits.

Did Oscar Health Beat Earnings?

Q4 2025 missed on revenue but beat on EPS (smaller loss than expected):

MetricQ4 2025 ActualConsensusSurprise
Revenue$2.82B$3.12B-10.0%
EPS (Non-GAAP)-$0.53-$0.58+8.6%
MLR95.4%+730 bps YoY

The revenue miss was driven by a $275 million risk adjustment true-up in Q4, as Oscar's membership skewed healthier than the broader market. MLR spiked to 95.4% due to industry-wide morbidity increases from Medicaid redeterminations.

Full Year 2025 Results:

MetricFY 2025FY 2024Change
Revenue$11.7B$9.2B+28%
Net Loss-$443M-$27MDeterioration
Operating Loss-$396M+$58M-$454M YoY
MLR87.4%81.7%+570 bps
SG&A Ratio17.5%19.1%-160 bps

FintoolAsk Fintool AI Agent

What Did Management Guide for 2026?

Oscar provided aggressive 2026 guidance signaling a dramatic turnaround:

MetricFY 2026 GuidanceFY 2025 ActualImprovement
Revenue$18.7B - $19.0B$11.7B+61% YoY
MLR82.4% - 83.4%87.4%-450 bps
SG&A Ratio15.8% - 16.3%17.5%-140 bps
Earnings from Ops$250M - $450M-$396M+$750M swing
Operating Margin~1.9%-3.4%+530 bps

CEO Mark Bertolini emphasized the return to profitability: "Oscar is on track to return to profitability this year. We expect a significant year-over-year improvement of nearly $750 million in earnings from operations in 2026."

The guidance assumes risk adjustment as a percentage of direct premiums of approximately 20% and market contraction toward the lower end of Oscar's original 20-30% projection.

How Did the Stock React?

OSCR closed at $12.66 during regular trading (+3.4%) and jumped to $13.25 in after-hours trading (+5% from prior close). The positive reaction reflects:

  1. Profitability pivot: 2026 guidance for $250-450M operating income vs -$396M in 2025
  2. Membership momentum: 58% YoY growth expected, market share doubled to 30%
  3. Operational leverage: AI driving 160 bps SG&A improvement with higher membership

The stock is trading at $12.66 vs. analyst consensus price target of $14.82 (17% upside), with UBS and Barclays recently setting targets of $17-$18.

What Changed From Last Quarter?

The narrative shifted from loss management to growth acceleration:

FactorQ3 2025Q4 2025 / 2026 Outlook
Market PostureDefensive amid morbidity spikeOffensive—capturing share as competitors exit
Risk Adj. AccrualRising concern20% of premiums locked in for 2026
Membership2.0M3.4M enrolled, 3.0M paid expected Q2
Market Share17%30%
AI ImpactEarly implementation86% of questions resolved, 67% faster response times

The metal mix transformed dramatically following enhanced premium tax credit expiration:

Membership and Mix

CFO Scott Blackley noted: "Bronze has always been a high-performing product for us. The fact that we've seen more growth in Bronze than in Silver, and we've seen that transition, is actually something that we are completely comfortable with."

FintoolAsk Fintool AI Agent

Key Management Commentary

On market positioning (CEO Mark Bertolini):

"Oscar embraced the change and positioned the company for strong top-line growth and margin expansions in 2026. We took decisive actions with a disciplined pricing, distribution, and product strategy to go after profitable growth as competitors pulled back or exited the market."

On member churn expectations (CFO Scott Blackley):

"Through the first quarter, we're obviously going to see higher churn as we see the effects of the higher premiums... From there, we're expecting churn patterns to look more similar to what we saw pre-ARPA, so in the range of 1%-2% a month."

On AI investments (CEO):

"The impact of AI on our efficiency and the quality of the interactions for our members is unparalleled in its pace in my 40 years in this industry."

Q&A Highlights

On new member visibility (Josh Raskin, Nephron Research): Management explained they're using third-party clinical data to assess new member risk profiles, which is giving them "better insights into this oncoming membership than we've had really at any point in our history." New initiations are tracking "modestly better" than pricing and expectations.

On passive enrollment risk (John Ransom, Raymond James): Bertolini acknowledged uncertainty: "When they start looking at the out-of-pocket costs associated with plans... they're going to start to say, 'Wait a minute. This is expensive.' Most Americans now see healthcare as their single largest line item in their homes, more than their own mortgage."

On ICHRA opportunity: Oscar is building a two-pronged ICHRA strategy—conversion services for employers (higher margin, unregulated) plus membership capture in their health plan. ICHRA membership doubled year-over-year.

Risks and Concerns

  1. Passive enrollment churn: 400K members expected to roll off by Q2 as members face premium shock from lost subsidies

  2. Risk adjustment volatility: Oscar noted they're "picking up a very large share of young, healthy members" which increases risk transfer payments

  3. Utilization uncertainty: With members moving to higher-deductible Bronze plans, out-of-pocket costs could drive either care avoidance or further disenrollment

  4. Political risk: Enhanced premium tax credits remain a political issue; any reinstatement would reshape market dynamics

Capital Position

Oscar strengthened its balance sheet with a new $475 million three-year revolving credit facility from JPMorgan Chase. Key metrics:

MetricValue
Cash & Investments$5.5B
Parent Cash$414M
Insurance Subsidiary Capital~$1.0B
Excess Capital$315M
Capital Requirement~$50M per $1B premiums (55% quota share)

Forward Catalysts

EventTimingSignificance
Q1 2026 Paid MembershipApril 2026Validates churn assumptions (3.0M target)
CMS Final Enrollment DataMid-2026Market contraction clarity
2026 Risk Adjustment VisibilityQ2-Q3First reports on new year performance
Grace Period EffectuationEnd of Q1Tests premium payment willingness
ICHRA Employer ConversionsOngoingHigher-margin revenue diversification
FintoolAsk Fintool AI Agent

The Bottom Line

Oscar Health delivered a challenging Q4 with a 10% revenue miss driven by risk adjustment headwinds, but the 2026 guidance stole the show. The company is guiding for 61% revenue growth and a $750 million swing to profitability—a bold call that hinges on member retention, disciplined pricing, and continued AI-driven efficiency gains.

The market's +5% after-hours reaction suggests investors are buying the turnaround story. With membership at record levels and market share doubling, Oscar has positioned itself to be a major winner in the post-enhanced-subsidy ACA landscape. The key risk remains execution: can they convert 3.4 million enrolled members into 3 million paying customers while maintaining margin discipline?


Related: Oscar Health Company Profile | Q4 2025 Earnings Transcript | Q3 2025 Earnings