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RBC Capital bullish on HealthEquity stock amid strong HSA growth and rising cash yields

EditorEmilio Ghigini
Published 09/19/2024, 06:49 AM
HQY
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On Thursday, RBC Capital Markets adjusted its outlook on HealthEquity, Inc (NASDAQ:HQY) stock, a leading provider of health savings accounts, by increasing its price target to $100 from the previous target of $92, while maintaining an Outperform rating. The firm expressed increased confidence in HealthEquity, citing three core elements that are anticipated to propel earnings growth significantly over the next few years.

The analyst at RBC Capital highlighted the factors contributing to their optimistic stance, including HealthEquity's health savings account (HSA) growth, custodial cash yields, and service costs. These elements are projected to collectively result in an earnings per share (EPS) compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 25% through the fiscal year 2027. This reassessment comes despite the prevailing concerns about HealthEquity's interest rate exposure and the potential impact of anticipated Federal Reserve rate cuts.

The valuation of HealthEquity has seen a contraction recently, which RBC Capital attributes mainly to the market's apprehension regarding the company's sensitivity to fluctuating interest rates. However, RBC Capital's proprietary Custodial Cash Yield model, which assesses the impact of interest rate changes on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and EPS, suggests that a robust EPS CAGR of over 20% through 2027 remains feasible, even if interest rates deliver negative surprises.

The analyst's comments underscore the firm's belief in HealthEquity's capacity to maintain strong earnings growth despite potential challenges in the interest rate landscape. The revised price target of $100 reflects this positive outlook and the anticipation of HealthEquity's continued financial performance and market position.

In other recent news, HealthEquity has reported substantial growth in its Q2 2025 financial results, with a 23% increase in revenue and a 46% rise in adjusted EBITDA. The company's Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) assets also saw a 27% surge. Further, HealthEquity completed the final tranche of the BenefitWallet acquisition, adding 216,000 HSAs and $1.0 billion in assets.

On the strategic front, HealthEquity introduced Health Payment Accounts (HPAs) and announced a new $300 million share repurchase program. KeyBanc has maintained its Overweight rating on the company, highlighting HealthEquity's resilience in a declining interest rate cycle. The firm also noted HealthEquity's ongoing digitization and artificial intelligence initiatives that have already pushed the services gross margins past 34%.

Looking ahead, HealthEquity provided a positive outlook for fiscal 2025. The company expects revenue to fall between $1.165 billion and $1.185 billion, and adjusted EBITDA to range from $458 million to $478 million. These recent developments underscore HealthEquity's commitment to growth and innovation.


InvestingPro Insights


As RBC Capital Markets updates its outlook on HealthEquity, Inc (NASDAQ:HQY), recent data from InvestingPro provides a deeper look into the company's financial health and market valuation. With a market capitalization of $6.77 billion, HealthEquity trades at a high earnings multiple, with a P/E ratio of 65.07 and an adjusted P/E ratio for the last twelve months as of Q2 2025 at 60.29. This valuation is underpinned by robust revenue growth of 17.19% over the last twelve months, showcasing the company's ability to expand its top line.

InvestingPro Tips highlight that HealthEquity is expected to see net income growth this year, which aligns with RBC Capital's positive earnings growth projections. On the liquidity front, HealthEquity's current assets exceed its short-term obligations, indicating a strong short-term financial position. However, it's also worth noting that six analysts have revised their earnings expectations downwards for the upcoming period, suggesting that investors should keep a close watch on future earnings reports.

For those seeking further insights, InvestingPro offers additional tips on HealthEquity, which can be found at https://www.investing.com/pro/HQY. These include observations on the company's moderate level of debt, high EBIT and EBITDA valuation multiples, and the fact that HealthEquity does not pay a dividend to shareholders. With these factors in mind, investors can better gauge HealthEquity's market position and future potential as they consider RBC Capital's updated analysis and price target.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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