Earnings results often indicate what direction a company will take in the months ahead. With Q1 behind us, let’s have a look at AdaptHealth (NASDAQ:AHCO) and its peers.

The senior health, home care, and hospice care industries provide essential services to aging populations and patients with chronic or terminal conditions. These companies benefit from stable, recurring revenue driven by relationships with patients and families that can extend many months or even years. However, the labor-intensive nature of the business makes it vulnerable to rising labor costs and staffing shortages, while profitability is constrained by reimbursement rates from Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers. Looking ahead, the industry is positioned for tailwinds from an aging population, increasing chronic disease prevalence, and a growing preference for personalized in-home care. Advancements in remote monitoring and telehealth are expected to enhance efficiency and care delivery. However, headwinds such as labor shortages, wage inflation, and regulatory uncertainty around reimbursement could pose challenges. Investments in digitization and technology-driven care will be critical for long-term success.

The 7 senior health, home health & hospice stocks we track reported a strong Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.3%.

Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 5.1% on average since the latest earnings results.

AdaptHealth (NASDAQ:AHCO)

With a network of approximately 680 locations serving patients across all 50 states, AdaptHealth (NASDAQ:AHCO) provides home medical equipment, supplies, and related services to patients with chronic conditions like sleep apnea, diabetes, and respiratory disorders.

AdaptHealth reported revenues of $777.9 million, down 1.8% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.7%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a slower quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates and full-year revenue guidance slightly missing analysts’ expectations.

“Amid elevated uncertainty in the external environment, we at AdaptHealth have stayed the course, with a relentless focus on improving our business and providing exceptional service to the 4.2 million patients that depend on us,” said Suzanne Foster, Chief Executive Officer of AdaptHealth.AdaptHealth Total Revenue

AdaptHealth delivered the slowest revenue growth and weakest full-year guidance update of the whole group. The stock is down 5.3% since reporting and currently trades at $8.24.

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Read our full report on AdaptHealth here, it’s free.

Best Q1: Addus HomeCare (NASDAQ:ADUS)

Serving approximately 66,000 clients across 22 states with a focus on "dual eligible" Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, Addus HomeCare (NASDAQ:ADUS) provides in-home personal care, hospice, and home health services to elderly, chronically ill, and disabled individuals.

Addus HomeCare reported revenues of $337.7 million, up 20.3% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. The business performed better than its peers, but it was unfortunately a mixed quarter with a narrow beat of analysts’ sales volume estimates.Addus HomeCare Total Revenue

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 10.2% since reporting. It currently trades at $115.

Is now the time to buy Addus HomeCare? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q1: Brookdale (NYSE:BKD)

With a network of over 650 communities serving approximately 59,000 residents across 41 states, Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE:BKD) operates senior living communities across the United States, offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities.

Brookdale reported revenues of $813.9 million, up 4% year on year, in line with analysts’ expectations. It was a slower quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 2.7% since the results and currently trades at $6.61.

Read our full analysis of Brookdale’s results here.

BrightSpring Health Services (NASDAQ:BTSG)

Founded in 1974, BrightSpring Health Services (NASDAQ:BTSG) offers home health care, hospice, neuro-rehabilitation, and pharmacy services.

BrightSpring Health Services reported revenues of $2.88 billion, up 11.7% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 4.6%. It was an exceptional quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and full-year revenue guidance exceeding analysts’ expectations.

BrightSpring Health Services achieved the highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. The stock is up 30.4% since reporting and currently trades at $23.32.

Read our full, actionable report on BrightSpring Health Services here, it’s free.

Chemed (NYSE:CHE)

With a unique business model combining end-of-life care and household services, Chemed (NYSE:CHE) operates two distinct businesses: VITAS, which provides hospice care for terminally ill patients, and Roto-Rooter, which offers plumbing and water restoration services.

Chemed reported revenues of $646.9 million, up 9.8% year on year. This number topped analysts’ expectations by 0.8%. It was a satisfactory quarter as it also produced a decent beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is down 1.6% since reporting and currently trades at $577.44.

Read our full, actionable report on Chemed here, it’s free.

Market Update

As a result of the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has come down from frothy levels post-pandemic. The general rise in the price of goods and services is trending towards the Fed’s 2% goal as of late, which is good news. The higher rates that fought inflation also didn't slow economic activity enough to catalyze a recession. So far, soft landing. This, combined with recent rate cuts (half a percent in September 2024 and a quarter percent in November 2024) have led to strong stock market performance in 2024. The icing on the cake for 2024 returns was Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. Presidential Election in early November, sending major indices to all-time highs in the week following the election. Still, debates around the health of the economy and the impact of potential tariffs and corporate tax cuts remain, leaving much uncertainty around 2025.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Strong Momentum Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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