Is ELV's Q1 2025 forecast achievable?

**Elevance Health's (ELV) Q1 2025 forecast is achievable**, considering the company's historical performance and recent strategic initiatives. Here's a detailed analysis to support this conclusion: 1. **Consistent Track Record**: ELV has a history of beating EPS estimates 100% of the time and revenue estimates 75% of the time over the last two years. This consistency suggests a strong likelihood of achieving the forecasted EPS and revenue for Q1 2025. 2. **Recent Performance**: In Q1 2024, ELV's EPS was $10.64, surpassing the consensus estimate of $10.48. This beat on expectations indicates the company's operational efficiency and market outperformance, which is a positive indicator for the upcoming quarter. 3. **Strategic Initiatives**: ELV has been executing strategic initiatives, such as the launch of risk-based capabilities and growth in CarelonRx product revenue. These initiatives have contributed to revenue growth in the past and are likely to support continued growth in Q1 2025. 4. **Dividend Increase and Investor Confidence**: ELV recently increased its dividend by 5%, reflecting confidence in its financial stability and future earnings potential. This move can often be a signal from management that they believe the company's earnings will support such a payout. 5. **Market Conditions**: The broader health insurance market is dynamic, with challenges such as membership attrition in Medicaid business. However, ELV has demonstrated resilience in the face of these challenges, which bodes well for its ability to achieve its forecast. In conclusion, while there are always factors that can impact financial performance, the combination of ELV's historical track record, recent performance, strategic initiatives, and market conditions suggest that the company's Q1 2025 forecast is achievable.