Start 30 days free, no card. Full Pro access for a month, then decide. Start free

Back to analysts list

Analyst

Craig Hettenbach

Morgan Stanley · covers Healthcare

Period: Reporting periods mapped to calendar 2024 Q4 – 2026 Q3 (8 quarters).

Questions
32on tracked calls
Challenge rate
3%1 of 32 questions
Companies
4questioned at least once
Reporting periods
8with questions

These figures cover the whole profile: every tracked question, all reporting periods.

How to read these numbers

Challenge rate is the share of questions that pushed back, pressed for specifics or questioned management’s assumptions. It describes how questions were asked on the calls tracked here; it does not measure whether any view turned out to be right.

Rounding. Rates are rounded to whole percentages, so a small share can show as 0% even when some questions were challenging. The count beside each rate is exact; “none of N questions” means no question was challenging.

No questions recorded. “—” means there is nothing to calculate: no questions were recorded for that period on the calls tracked here. It does not mean there was no activity.

Fewer than 3 questions. A company-level rate is withheld when fewer than 3 questions were recorded for that company; the questions are still counted everywhere else.

Small samples. Profiles with fewer than 10 questions are marked Limited sample.

Reporting periods. Questions are grouped by the calendar quarter each company’s fiscal reporting period maps to, not by the date of the call. Periods without a calendar mapping are listed separately under their fiscal label.

Questions asked

Grouped by company, most questions first. Open a company to read its questions, newest reporting period first.

Showing 32 of 32 questions from 4 companies

UHSUniversal Health Services11 questions · 6 reporting periods · 0 of 11 challenging
UHS company page →

Calendar 2026 Q2

Anything else you would add in terms of things that you think you will be able to kinda hit the ground running

M&AGeographic ExpansionTranscript · FY2026 Q2 →
Show response

Filton named the two constraints Talkspace relieves: geographic distance for step-down patients and therapist capacity.

Any update on the freestanding emergency rooms in terms of investments there?

Show response

Filton gave an approximate count of around 40 FEDs operating with another 5 to 10 in development, noting he lacked exact data on hand.

Calendar 2026 Q1

You mentioned the effective multiple could be single digits a few years out. What gives you that confidence?

Capex InvestmentRevenue GrowthTranscript · FY2026 Q1 →
Show response

Miller said confidence based on Talkspace standalone growth trajectory plus combined synergy programs (virtual IOPs, bidirectional referrals). Current multiple looks high off today's earnings but growth path and joint initiatives expected to scale earnings to single-digit effective multiple.

how has the Thousand Branches initiative been going, and did it inform the Talkspace decision?

Geographic ExpansionCompetitive DynamicsTranscript · FY2026 Q1 →
Show response

Miller said Thousand Branches progressing well but slower deployment due to state-by-state factors. Talkspace was a separate opportunity that emerged when they indicated openness to strategic options. Internal outpatient offerings will complement Talkspace in full continuum.

Calendar 2025 Q4

as pricing starts to normalize, I know you've done a lot of work on the hiring front, as you've outlined, can you just talk about the confidence in terms of getting back into more of a steady caden...

DemandLabor MarketTranscript · FY2025 Q4 →
Show response

Filton pointed to sequential quarterly improvement throughout 2025, exiting within shouting distance of 2-3% target. Investments in staff and headcount during 2025 provide confidence in 2026 achievement. Volume growth at lower end of target range expected.

from a capital investment perspective, any key highlights or areas for this year?

Capex InvestmentGeographic ExpansionTranscript · FY2025 Q4 →
Show response

Filton highlighted Palm Beach Gardens de novo, Florida West Coast tower, Southern California replacement facility, behavioral joint ventures, plus continued outpatient footprint expansion and ER/surgical capacity additions. CapEx guided $950M-$1.1B.

Calendar 2025 Q3

Can you just talk about more broadly how you think about capacity versus demand in behavioral and kind of what that means for volume growth?

DemandCompetitive DynamicsTranscript · FY2025 Q3 →
Show response

Filton reiterated 2-3% behavioral volume target, possibly achievable exiting 2025 or reasonable for 2026 at lower end. Requires continued vacancy fills and turnover reduction which have been improving incrementally but slower than expected.

Your net leverage is at kind of the low end of history. Just how you're thinking about that?

Capital AllocationTranscript · FY2025 Q3 →
Show response

Filton said leverage ratios not expected to go lower. Intentionally kept low amid policy uncertainty. May increase leverage for buybacks as regulatory environment becomes more certain. Most/all free cash flow devoted to repurchases.

Calendar 2025 Q2

Do you think some of that normalizes in terms of the contribution between volume and price?

Show response

Filton reiterated the long-term behavioral model: 7% midpoint revenue growth from 4-5% price and 2.5-3% volume, acknowledging price has been outpacing while volume has lagged.

how are you thinking about just kind of leveraging technology and AI?

Innovation & R&DMarginTranscript · FY2025 Q2 →
Show response

Filton described AI applications in denial management countermeasures, post-discharge patient follow-up calls, and ER coding. Also using patient rounding technology for tracking and safety.

Calendar 2025 Q1

can you talk about any trends that set out just from an acuity perspective?

Show response

Filton said Q1 acuity was muted by flu season mix shift but CMI remained strong. Acuity expected to grow as flu season ends. CapEx on track at $800M-$1B.

HIMSHims & Hers Health, Inc.9 questions · 7 reporting periods · 1 of 9 challenging
HIMS company page →

Calendar 2026 Q2

anything unique on the Hers side in terms of starting there and then the rough timing of when you'd expect to see that

Cloud & AIInnovation & R&DTranscript · FY2026 Q2 →
Show response

Andrew said Hers women's weight loss was the starting point given its complexity and high engagement, with rollout to Hims categories over the next couple of quarters.

Calendar 2026 Q1

A question on the dynamic of kind of revenue guidance coming up, but EBITDA lowered.

Guidance ReliabilityMarginTranscript · FY2026 Q1 →
Show response

Yemi explained the revenue-up/EBITDA-flexible trade-off as a deliberate priority to capture the opportunity, but did not give new-category ramp or margin specifics.

Calendar 2025 Q4

can you just talk about which categories you expect to kind of drive growth in 2026?

Revenue GrowthGuidance ReliabilityTranscript · FY2025 Q4 →
Show response

Yemi described broad growth across Hims and Hers specialties but did not disclose a specific weight-loss range embedded in guidance.

Calendar 2025 Q3

Is it possible margins could contract year-over-year in 2026 before you see the follow-through?

ChallengingMarginCapex InvestmentTranscript · FY2025 Q3 →
Show response

Okupe declined to give 2026 margin specifics but pointed to the 2023 invest-then-expand playbook and confidence the investments are accretive. Partial on the direct margin question.

Calendar 2025 Q2

an update on how that business is performing and some of the key growth drivers seeing on the Hers side

DemandRevenue GrowthTranscript · FY2025 Q2 →
Show response

Yemi cited dermatology (skin and hair), weight loss, mental health, and upcoming menopause/hormonal support as Hers growth drivers.

Specific to AI, can you talk about how you're approaching that, whether it's the returns you expect to get on that

Cloud & AIInnovation & R&DTranscript · FY2025 Q2 →
Show response

Andrew said the AI approach targets fast, tactical efficiency and engagement gains across provider, patient and pharmacist workflows within 3-6 months.

Calendar 2025 Q1

When I think about the 2030 targets, can you just touch on just kind of the core business as it stands today

Revenue GrowthDemandTranscript · FY2025 Q1 →
Show response

Andrew argued legacy categories such as dermatology are growing 50%+ at low-single-digit penetration, giving broad runway to the 2030 targets; direct.

On the weight loss category and the target for $725 million revenues this year

Revenue GrowthProduct LaunchTranscript · FY2025 Q1 →
Show response

Andrew reaffirmed the $725M weight-loss target, citing liraglutide, the Novo Wegovy collaboration and oral options; direct and specific.

Calendar 2024 Q4

can you talk about just rough expectations for liraglutide in terms of possible timing for this year

Product LaunchRevenue GrowthTranscript · FY2024 Q4 →
Show response

Yemi confirmed the oral business remains strong and that the $725M weight-loss guide excludes commercial semaglutide, with liraglutide coming later this year, direct.

VEEVVeeva Systems Inc.9 questions · 8 reporting periods · 0 of 9 challenging
VEEV company page →

Calendar 2026 Q3

what are they most focused on?

MacroeconomicDemandTranscript · FY2027 Q2 →
Show response

Peter said the industry is not being disrupted by the disruptions and is executing, though a major shock like a big rate move or war escalation could still disrupt things.

Calendar 2026 Q2

Curious kind of what the initial uptake is there. If there's anything you want to tie in to the recent commercial Summit?

Cloud & AIProduct LaunchDemandTranscript · FY2027 Q1 →
Show response

Peter reported 10+ live customers on commercial content agents and customers generating commercial evidence, with scaling the focus this year.

Calendar 2026 Q1

how do you think about the customer base if they were to go direct to customer in terms of doing some things piecemeal

Cloud & AICompetitive DynamicsTranscript · FY2026 Q4 →
Show response

Peter said AI vendors won't make industry-specific applications, just as Amazon didn't. Anthropic will make broad applications and coding tools. Veeva's domain requires software, data, and consulting together. Very symbiotic relationship like the cloud era.

Calendar 2025 Q4

do you think some of these drivers can kind of sustain stronger growth in the next few years

Revenue GrowthDemandTranscript · FY2026 Q3 →
Show response

Brian declined to break out a specific long-range growth rate but said growth has been very healthy year to date with plenty of room for both measurement and audiences to continue growing.

Calendar 2025 Q3

Any other kind of segments that you would call out in terms of despite some of the macro uncertainty that are, you know, still performing really well

MacroeconomicDemandTranscript · FY2026 Q2 →
Show response

Brian said macro uncertainty is elevated but stable with no change. Customers working effectively. Pipeline building and deals progressing. No one area called out specifically, good execution across the business.

Calendar 2025 Q2

Any initial feedback from customers and how you think, you know, in the coming years, how it might impact your overall business

Cloud & AIInnovation & R&DTranscript · FY2026 Q1 →
Show response

Peter said Veeva AI will be a separately licensed product at a reasonable price for broad adoption. Net positive for revenue over time, but no specific projections yet. Packaging not yet finalized.

are there parts of the business you would expect to be kind of most insulated versus some areas that, you know, you'd expect to maybe see some impact

MacroeconomicDemandTranscript · FY2026 Q1 →
Show response

Peter said long-term subscriptions are most durable, services engagements are quicker to get impacted, and really small emerging biotechs are most exposed due to funding dependence.

Calendar 2025 Q1

Any milestones to watch for this year as that business develops

Show response

Peter said milestones are CRM Bot and MLR Bot releases plus customer adoption. AI distraction is largely behind customers who have settled into what AI does.

Calendar 2024 Q4

how do you think about that in terms of perhaps giving you a little bit more leverage to make some of these investments as you get that going

MarginCapex InvestmentTranscript · FY2025 Q3 →
Show response

Peter said the horizontal effort needs a focused tiger team, not big capital. Revenue from life sciences will mostly stay in life sciences for support and new products.

HCAHCA Healthcare3 questions · 3 reporting periods · 0 of 3 challenging
HCA company page →

Calendar 2026 Q1

seeing in the rate backdrop as well as any visibility into 2027

PricingCompetitive DynamicsTranscript · FY2026 Q1 →
Show response

Sam confirmed 2026 fully contracted on target, about one-third through 2027 negotiations, and confident in achieving targeted rates.

Calendar 2025 Q3

On the $600 million to $800 million resiliency program you laid out a few years ago, can you just give us a sense on kind of how you're tracking to that?

Cost PressureCloud & AITranscript · FY2025 Q3 →
Show response

Mike described resiliency as a continuous program, not static. Robust AI and automation use cases in flight. Sam noted core operating margin has improved since 2023 Investor Day, reflecting resiliency benefits.

Calendar 2025 Q1

can you just talk about the durability of demand in particular in light of the equivalent emissions growth target of 3 to 4% this year

DemandMacroeconomicTranscript · FY2025 Q1 →
Show response

Sam confirmed demand assumptions holding, no competitive or value-based care disruption to demand curve. Leap-year adjusted admissions at 3.8% support full-year 3-4% target.

Challenge rate by company

Every company this analyst questioned, most questions first. A company-level rate is shown from 3 questions; below that it is withheld.

CompanyQuestionsChallenge rate
UHS Universal Health Services110%none of 11 questions
HIMS Hims & Hers Health, Inc.911%1 of 9 questions
VEEV Veeva Systems Inc.90%none of 9 questions
HCA HCA Healthcare30%none of 3 questions
  • UHS
    Universal Health Services · 11 questions
    0%none of 11 questions
  • HIMS
    Hims & Hers Health, Inc. · 9 questions
    11%1 of 9 questions
  • VEEV
    Veeva Systems Inc. · 9 questions
    0%none of 9 questions
  • HCA
    HCA Healthcare · 3 questions
    0%none of 3 questions

Activity by reporting period

Questions recorded for each calendar quarter that companies’ reporting periods map to (not the call date), with the challenge rate for that period. Periods inside the range with no questions are shown as “No questions recorded”.

Questions by calendar reporting period
Calendar periodQuestionsChallenge rateCompanies
2024 Q420%none of 2 questions2
2025 Q150%none of 5 questions4
2025 Q260%none of 6 questions3
2025 Q3520%1 of 5 questions4
2025 Q440%none of 4 questions3
2026 Q150%none of 5 questions4
2026 Q240%none of 4 questions3
2026 Q310%none of 1 question1
  1. 2024 Q42 questions · challenge rate 0% (none of 2 questions) · 2 companies
  2. 2025 Q15 questions · challenge rate 0% (none of 5 questions) · 4 companies
  3. 2025 Q26 questions · challenge rate 0% (none of 6 questions) · 3 companies
  4. 2025 Q35 questions · challenge rate 20% (1 of 5 questions) · 4 companies
  5. 2025 Q44 questions · challenge rate 0% (none of 4 questions) · 3 companies
  6. 2026 Q15 questions · challenge rate 0% (none of 5 questions) · 4 companies
  7. 2026 Q24 questions · challenge rate 0% (none of 4 questions) · 3 companies
  8. 2026 Q31 question · challenge rate 0% (none of 1 question) · 1 company

Topics

Topics tagged on this analyst’s questions.

  • Demand13
  • Cloud & AI7
  • Revenue Growth7
  • Capex Investment5
  • Margin5
  • Macroeconomic4
  • Competitive Dynamics4
  • Innovation & R&D4
  • Product Launch3
  • Geographic Expansion3
Show all 16 topics
  • Pricing2
  • Guidance Reliability2
  • M&A1
  • Labor Market1
  • Cost Pressure1
  • Capital Allocation1