Notable healthcare headlines for the week: UnitedHealth, Pfizer, and CVS Health in focus

Wall Street’s major market averages ended higher on Friday as investors digested the latest nonfarm payrolls print and sidestepped the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

The blue-chip Dow added +0.1%, the benchmark S&P 500 closed +0.8%, and the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite finished +1.7%.

However, the S&P 500 Health Care Index Sector (XLV [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/XLV]) slipped above 1.15% during the week.

The top S&P 500 healthcare gainers and losers for the last week are as follows:

TOP GAINERS:

DaVita (DVA [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DVA]) +31%

Moderna (MRNA [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MRNA]) +19.75%

Humana (HUM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HUM]) +17.69%

Revvity (RVTY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/RVTY]) +16.52%

Waters (WAT [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/WAT]) +15.63%

TOP LOSERS:

Zoetis (ZTS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/ZTS]) -27.44%

Cencora (COR [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/COR]) -14.12%

Bio-Techne (TECH [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TECH]) -12.10%

Insulet (PODD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PODD]) -11.93%

Mettler-Toledo International (MTD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MTD]) -11.26%

Here are some of the important healthcare stories from this week:

UNITEDHEALTHCARE CUTS PRIOR AUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS BY 30%

UnitedHealthcare (UNH [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/UNH]) on Tuesday said [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4585385-unitedhealth-to-ease-access-to-tests-surgeries-and-therapy-with-30-cut-in-prior-authorizations-wsj-reports] that it would eliminate authorization requirements for 30% of healthcare services that previously required insurer approval.

Currently, prior authorization is required for only 2% of UnitedHealthcare medical services. Of the authorizations that are submitted, around 92% are approved in less than 24 hours, on average. Within Medicare Advantage, UnitedHealthcare has fewer prior authorization requirements than any other insurer, the company said [https://seekingalpha.com/pr/20499938-unitedhealthcare-cuts-prior-authorization-requirements-by-30-percent#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews].

By the end of 2026, UnitedHealthcare will eliminate an additional 30% of remaining prior authorizations, including select outpatient surgeries, some diagnostic tests like echocardiograms, and certain outpatient therapies and chiropractic care.

PFIZER TOPS Q1 ESTIMATES, MAINTAINS GUIDANCE

Pfizer (PFE [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PFE]) topped [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4585370-pfizer-tops-q1-estimates-maintains-guidance] Wall Street estimates with its first-quarter results and reaffirmed its full-year outlook.

The New York-based pharma giant generated adjusted EPS of $0.75 (-18% Y/Y) on revenue of $14.5B, a 5% rise compared to the prior-year quarter, reflecting an operational increase of $304M, or 2%.

The company also reaffirmed its 2026 sales guidance of $59.5B to $62.5B, in line with the average analyst expectation of $61.37B [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PFE/earnings/estimates#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews]. Adjusted diluted EPS is projected to be in the range of $2.80 to $3.00 (vs. consensus of $2.96).

AMAZON TO OFFER NOVO’S OZEMPIC PILL VIA SAME-DAY DELIVERY, KIOSKS

Amazon (AMZN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AMZN]) announced [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4588376-amazon-to-offer-novo-ozempic-pill] on Thursday that Novo Nordisk’s (NVO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NVO]) newly launched oral diabetes therapy, the Ozempic pill, will be available for same-day delivery through its pharmacy division and dispensed at its One Medical locations via in-office kiosks.

The Danish drugmaker launched the Ozempic pill earlier this week, having rebranded its previous oral GLP-1 therapy, Rybelsus. [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4583902-novo-nordisk-readies-u-s-launch-of-ozempic-pill#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews]

Amazon (AMZN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AMZN]) stated that, regardless of Prime membership, patients will be able to access the once-daily therapy through same-day delivery, which is available in nearly 3,000 U.S. cities and towns.

The company plans to expand the same-day service to nearly 4,500 cities and towns by the end of 2026.

In other news of note, Novo Nordisk (NVO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NVO]) raised [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4586640-novo-nordisk-says-oral-wegovy-success-to-soften-sales-decline] its outlook for the year after strong early demand for its oral Wegovy pill helped revive momentum in its obesity business.

Excluding the 340B provision reversal, the Danish drugmaker now expects adjusted sales and operating profit to contract between 4% and 12%, compared with an earlier forecast of a 5%–13% Y/Y decline.

Novo said first-quarter sales jumped 32% on a constant currency basis to reach DKK 96.8B, positively impacted by a provision reversal related to the 340B Drug Pricing Program in the US. On an adjusted basis, sales fell 4% at CER, driven by lower realized prices, partly offset by GLP-1 volume growth across geographies.

Operating profit surged 65% to DKK 59.6B at CER.

CVS HEALTH SPIKES AS INSURANCE BUSINESS DRIVES Q1 BEAT

Shares of CVS Health (CVS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CVS]) jumped [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4586729-cvs-health-stock-rises-q1-2026-beat] over 7% on Wednesday after the managed care firm raised its full-year outlook following better-than-expected Q1 2026 earnings, largely driven by its Health Care Benefits segment, which houses its health insurer Aetna. [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4586724-cvs-non-gaap-eps-of-2_57-beats-by-0_36-revenue-of-100_4b-beats-by-5_38b#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews]

The Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based healthcare giant increased its outlook for adjusted earnings per share to $7.30-$7.50 from $7.00-$7.20, exceeding the $7.16 projected by analysts, citing outperformance in its Health Care Benefits and Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness segments.

For the quarter, CVS recorded $100.4B in revenue with ~6% YoY growth as its Health Care Benefits segment added $36.0B to the topline with ~3% YoY growth thanks mainly to its government business.

ANGELINI PHARMA TO BUY CATALYST PHARMACEUTICALS FOR $4.1B

Angelini Pharma agreed [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4588004-angelini-pharma-to-buy-catalyst-pharmaceuticals-for-41b] to acquire all outstanding shares of Catalyst Pharmaceuticals (CPRX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CPRX]) for $31.50 per share in cash, for a total equity value of approximately $4.1B.

The deal has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026. The consideration represents a premium of 28% to Catalyst’s 30-day volume-weighted average trading price as of April 22, 2026.

Following completion of the acquisition, Angelini Pharma plans to integrate Catalyst’s portfolio and commercial infrastructure with its expertise and products in Brain Health to develop a next-generation therapeutic platform in Rare Diseases.

The transaction [https://seekingalpha.com/pr/20504768-angelini-pharma-to-acquire-catalyst-pharmaceuticals-for-4_1-billion-usd-3_5-billion-euros#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews]will be carried out with the participation of Blackstone (BX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BX]) funds and select international partners and will be financed with the support of BNP Paribas.

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