Health Care Providers & Services

Dental Corporation Public Company Limited, or D, has met the criteria of the Stock Exchange of Thailand and will move from the Market for Alternative Investment, or mai, to trade on the SET in the Services industry group, Medical business sector, starting October 1, 2026, after more than 9 years listed on mai. Chief Executive Officer Pornsak Tantapakul, together with the company's board and executives, joined in congratulating the occasion. The company stated that the move to the SET reflects the organization's growth and potential, from its beginnings as a Thai family business to a listed company in the capital market, and that over the past 9 years it has used funds raised to expand its business, generating growth in revenue, net profit, and shareholders' equity. The Dental Corporation group operates a full-service dental business, covering dental hospitals, the Bangkok International Dental Hospital, or BIDH, dental centers, Smile Signature dental clinics, and Dental Planet dental clinics, as well as Dental Vision Company Limited, a subsidiary that distributes dental materials and equipment.

Safe Fertility Group Public Company Limited, or SAFE, has announced a three-to-five-year plan to expand its family care base from 40,000 families to 50,000 families, while driving average revenue growth of 10-15% per year from 2027 onward, after revenue in 2026 is expected to hold steady from the 900 million baht recorded in 2025. Dr. Wiwat Kwangkananurak, Chief Executive Officer, said the growth strategy comes from the Preserve and Prevent markets, as younger generations increasingly turn to egg freezing, sperm freezing, and genetic testing, as well as from expanding the base of international patients, who currently account for 50% of all patients. The company is also broadening its business scope into genetic analysis laboratories under Next Generation Genomic Company Limited, providing reproductive medicine and maternal and child medicine analysis services to leading public and private healthcare providers, as well as obstetrics and gynecology clinics both domestically and overseas. It is also in discussions on cooperation with the National Health Security Office, or NHSO, on a project to screen for fetal chromosomal abnormalities from maternal blood, known as NIPT, with services under the NHSO project expected to begin in 2027. It is also discussing ways to provide intrauterine insemination, or IUI, for holders of universal health coverage rights, or the 30-baht scheme, to broaden access to treatment more comprehensively.

Safe Fertility Group Public Company Limited, or SAFE, has announced a business plan under the concept The Next Chapter of Fertility, riding the trend of younger generations marrying and having children later in life. The company aims to grow its customer base from roughly 40,000 families today to 50,000 families within 3-5 years, and targets average revenue growth of 10-15% per year through two main strategies: expanding the Preserve and Prevent market, which covers egg freezing, sperm freezing and genetic testing, and expanding its international customer base into new markets. International customers currently account for about 50% of the company's total patient base. In Thailand's assisted reproductive technology, or IVF, market, Kasikorn Research Center estimates the value at approximately 6 billion baht, while the global IVF market is worth more than 30 billion US dollars. SAFE cited Japan as an example, where the number of newborns has fallen below 700,000, yet children born through assisted reproductive technology now make up about one in eight of all births. The company has also expanded into genetic analysis laboratories through Next Generation Genomic Company Limited, and has set a long-term goal of 5-10 years to elevate Thailand into a Regional Fertility Hub.

Dental Corporation Public Company Limited, or D, has moved from the Market for Alternative Investment, or mai, to trade on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, or SET, in the Services industry group, Medical sector, effective October 1, 2026, after being listed on mai for more than 9 years. Chief Executive Officer Pornsak Tantapakul, along with the company's board and executives, joined in congratulating the company on meeting the SET's listing criteria. The move to the SET reflects the organization's growth and potential, from its beginnings as a Thai family business to a listed company in the capital market. Over the past 9 years, the company has used funds raised to expand its business, driving growth in revenue, net profit, and shareholders' equity. D operates a comprehensive dental services business covering dental hospitals, the Bangkok International Dental Hospital, or BIDH, dental centers, Smile Signature dental clinics, and Dental Planet dental clinics, as well as Dental Vision Company Limited, a subsidiary that distributes dental materials and equipment.

Cardinal Health announced in October 2026 that it had entered into a binding Letter of Intent to extend its existing distribution agreement with CVS Health through June 30, 2032, maintaining the current scope of distribution services. The long-dated extension reinforces the durability of Cardinal Health's core distribution relationships and underscores the importance of scale partnerships in its business model. The company's narrative projects $297.6 billion in revenue and $3.0 billion in earnings by 2029, requiring 5.4% yearly revenue growth and an earnings increase of about $1.3 billion from $1.7 billion today. The extended CVS agreement supports that core distribution pillar but does not directly change the near-term focus on product quality risks from the levothyroxine and Webcol recalls, or cost pressure in the Global Medical Products and Distribution segment. The most relevant recent announcement alongside the CVS extension is Cardinal Health's August 2026 unsecured US$4.0 billion revolving credit agreement through 2031, which refreshes its funding flexibility and gives the company financial room to keep investing in automation, specialty distribution and at-home solutions.

Asia Plus Securities said the number of Middle Eastern tourists in September rose 18.8% year on year, though it fell 43.1% from the previous month on seasonal factors. That brought the third quarter of 2026 up 12.9% year on year and 142.4% quarter on quarter, reflecting a gradual return of travel to normal and a positive signal for the Middle Eastern patient trend at private hospital groups. The research team views this as a positive factor for third-quarter 2026 earnings after Middle Eastern patients began to recover from the impact of the Iran war, with most returning patients being complex and critical cases that carry high revenue per case and high margins, supporting the prospect that profits will recover faster than revenue. This is consistent with the number of Middle Eastern tourists in the third quarter of 2026, with the UAE up 29.8% year on year and Saudi Arabia up 21% year on year, while Qatar and Oman rose 1% and 4% year on year respectively. The research team maintained an overweight stance on the hospital group and buy ratings on BH, PR9 and BDMS, choosing BH as the top pick because it has the highest share of revenue from Middle Eastern patients in the group at about 23%, followed by PR9 at about 10% and BDMS at about 4%. It kept 2027 target prices at 225.00 baht, 23.00 baht and 25.00 baht respectively.

Analysts at Asia Plus Securities see the return of Middle Eastern tourists as a positive factor for the earnings of private hospital operators in the third quarter of 2026. The number of Middle Eastern tourists in September rose 18.8% year on year, though it fell 43.1% from the previous month on seasonal factors, bringing the third quarter of 2026 up 12.9% year on year and 142.4% from the previous quarter. This reflects travel gradually returning to normal after Middle Eastern patients began recovering from the impact of the Iran war. Although patient numbers at some hospitals have yet to return to last year's levels, most of those coming back are complex and serious cases with high revenue per case and high margins, supporting the prospect that profits will recover faster than revenue. In the third quarter of 2026, tourists from the UAE rose 29.8% and those from Saudi Arabia rose 21%, while Qatar and Oman rose 1% and 4% respectively. BH benefits the most, with Middle Eastern patients accounting for about 23% of its revenue, followed by PR9 and BDMS at about 10% and 4%. Normalised profits for private hospital operators in the third quarter of 2026 are expected to be the strongest of the year, driven by recovering foreign patients, a rise in Thai patients from influenza and COVID-19, and the return of complex cases. The Bangkok floods from 24 to 26 September are expected to have a limited impact.

SAFE Fertility Group, or SAFE, has announced its corporate direction under the concept "The Next Chapter of Fertility" on the occasion of celebrating its 20th year. Dr. Wiwat Kwangkananurak, founder and Chief Executive Officer, said the company aims to expand its family care base from 40,000 families to 50,000 families within the next 3-5 years, while driving average revenue growth of 10-15% per year. Key strategies include growth in the Preserve and Prevent markets, as younger generations increasingly turn to egg freezing, sperm freezing, and genetic testing, and expansion of its international patient base, which currently accounts for as much as 50% of all the company's patients, into additional new markets. The concept covers three areas: Prepare, readiness through health and hormone assessments; Preserve, alternative treatment through egg and sperm freezing technology; and Prevent, advance prevention through comprehensive genetic disease screening. The company is also expanding into genetic analysis laboratories under Next Generation Genomic Co., Ltd. Over the longer term of 5-10 years, SAFE aims to propel Thailand to become a Regional Fertility Hub trusted by families across the region.

Alignment Healthcare announced that its Alignment Health Plan will add Hoag, a large Orange County health system, to its network for Medicare members starting January 1, 2027. The agreement comes as Alignment Healthcare's share price sits under pressure, with the stock down 41.36% on a 30 day share price return basis and 60.73% year to date, while the 3 year total shareholder return remains positive at 8.47% and the 1 year total shareholder return has declined 52.23%. Analysts following the company see a wide gap between their narrative fair value of about $22.23 and the last close at $7.94, with 14 investors viewing Alignment Healthcare as 64% undervalued. On simple P/E math the stock screens as expensive, trading at about 40.5x earnings versus 24.3x for the wider US Healthcare industry and roughly 34.5x for peers, even though the fair ratio is estimated at 43x. The bull case rests on a technology-enabled care model, administrative automation and expansion into existing counties and new states, but it depends on stable Medicare Advantage funding and clean accounting, and any adverse regulatory or legal outcome could quickly challenge those assumptions.

Dr. Wirot Wasusuttikulkan, Chief Executive Officer of SMD Rise Public Company Limited, or SMD100, informed the Stock Exchange that the company's board meeting on October 2, 2026 approved the establishment of a new subsidiary to provide medical diagnostic imaging technology services in Thailand, covering X-ray, Ultrasound, CT Scan, PET/CT, MRI, radiation therapy, and digital health solutions, serving hospitals and related project customers. The new subsidiary is named SMD Remag (Thailand) Company Limited, with registered capital of 10 million baht, in which SMD100 holds 51% and Remag Group (Thailand) Company Limited holds 49%. The company expects to begin recognizing revenue from this business in the second quarter of 2027, using the company's working capital as the funding source for the establishment. At the same time, the meeting also approved the dissolution of SMD Pharmatics Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary that imports and distributes automated medication dispensing systems and related equipment and provides full installation and system integration services, due to financial performance that did not meet targets. The dissolution does not significantly affect the company's operations or financial position.

SMD Rise Public Company Limited, or SMD, informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand that its board of directors, at its 6/2569 meeting on 2 October 2569, approved the establishment of a new subsidiary named SMD REMAC (Thailand) Company Limited with registered capital of 10 million baht, divided into 100,000 ordinary shares at a par value of 100 baht each. SMD will hold 51% and REMAC Group (Thailand) Company Limited will hold 49%. The new company will provide medical diagnostic services using imaging technology in Thailand, covering X-ray, Ultrasound, CT Scan, PET/CT, MRI, radiotherapy, and digital health solutions, serving hospitals and related project customers. The company expects SMD REMAC to begin generating revenue in the second quarter of 2570, using the company's working capital as the funding source for the establishment. The transaction does not constitute a connected transaction and is not a significant transaction under the criteria of the Capital Market Supervisory Board. In addition, the board meeting approved the dissolution of SMD Pharmaceutics Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary in which SMD holds 100%, which operates the import and distribution of automated drug dispensing systems and related equipment and provides turnkey system installation services, because its financial performance did not meet targets.

Phillip Securities (Thailand) Public Company Limited estimates that Bumrungrad Hospital Public Company Limited, or BH, will have hospital revenue of approximately 6.75 billion baht in the third quarter of 2026, up 8.3% from the previous quarter and 4.0% from the same period last year, exceeding management's guidance of about 3% year-on-year revenue growth. International patient revenue is expected at 4.579 billion baht, up 10.7% quarter-on-quarter and 5.6% year-on-year, driven by an accelerating number of travelers from the Middle East to Thailand, with about 70,000 such tourists in September 2026, growing 18.8% year-on-year. Thai patient revenue is expected at 2.17 billion baht, up 8.3% quarter-on-quarter and 0.7% year-on-year. Core profit for the third quarter of 2026 is expected at 2.088 billion baht, up 10.5% quarter-on-quarter and 2.4% year-on-year, on total revenue of approximately 6.77 billion baht. The gross margin is expected to rise to 53.2% from 53.0% in the third quarter of 2025, and the EBITDA margin is expected at 41.4%, up from 40.9% in the same period last year. Phillip views the third quarter of 2026 as the best quarter of the year, with the second quarter of 2026 likely marking the bottom of performance. Core profit for the nine months of 2026 is expected at approximately 5.759 billion baht, up 2.3% year-on-year, representing 72.7% of the full-year profit forecast. It maintains a buy recommendation on BH with a year-end 2026 target price of 200 baht per share. The business expansion plan continues with the opening of a hospital in Phuket in two phases. The first phase, spanning years one to five, or approximately the second half of 2027 to 2032, will gradually open 120 beds, and the second phase, spanning years six to ten, or approximately 2032 to 2037, will add another 92 beds, for a total of 212 beds, following a hub-and-spoke model. Factors to monitor include the slow recovery in domestic purchasing power and the conflict situation in the Middle East, which may affect the number of international patients and BH's revenue trend going forward.

Cardinal Health has extended its drug distribution agreement with CVS Health through June 2032, sending its shares up 3.7% in Thursday trading. The pharmaceutical distributor said it entered into a binding Letter of Intent to extend the existing distribution agreement through June 30, 2032, maintaining the current scope of distribution services. "We value our long-standing partnership with CVS Health and look forward to continuing to bring our best-in-class capabilities together to serve their customers," said Jason Hollar, CEO of Cardinal Health. In connection with the contract renewal, Cardinal Health reaffirmed its fiscal year 2027 non-GAAP EPS guidance of 13% to 15% growth, or $12.40 to $12.60, and maintained its long-term non-GAAP EPS growth rate guidance of 12% to 14%. The company said further updates may be provided during its upcoming first quarter earnings call on November 5, 2026.

McKesson Corporation announced it has signed an agreement in principle to extend its partnership with CVS Health to distribute pharmaceuticals to mail order and specialty pharmacies, retail pharmacies, and distribution centers through June 2032. The Irving, Texas-based company said the extension builds on a relationship of more than 25 years, according to chair and chief executive officer Brian Tyler. McKesson is reaffirming its fiscal year 2027 adjusted EPS guidance of $44.20 to $45.00 and its long-term adjusted EPS growth rate of 13% to 16%. Further updates will be provided during the company's second quarter fiscal 2027 earnings call on November 4, 2026. The company cautioned that the deal remains an agreement in principle and that risks include possible delays in signing a definitive contract, a failure to sign one, or not realizing all expected financial and operational benefits.

Cardinal Health announced it has entered into a binding Letter of Intent to extend its existing pharmaceutical distribution agreement with CVS Health through June 30, 2032, continuing the current scope of distribution services. "We value our long-standing partnership with CVS Health and look forward to continuing to bring our best-in-class capabilities together to serve their customers," said Cardinal Health CEO Jason Hollar. In connection with the renewal, Cardinal Health reaffirmed its fiscal year 2027 non-GAAP EPS guidance of 13% to 15% growth, or $12.40 to $12.60, along with its long-term non-GAAP EPS growth rate guidance of 12% to 14%. The company said further updates may be provided during its upcoming first quarter earnings call on November 5, 2026.

Hims & Hers Health, Inc. announced the appointment of two new clinical experts to its global medical leadership team, naming Kultar Garcha, MD, as Chief Medical Officer of the UK and EMEA and Matt Vickers, FRACGP, MBBS, BMedSci, AICGG, as Chief Medical Officer of Hims Australia. The two appointments are the company's latest step in strengthening the local clinical leadership that underpins its international growth, and both executives will report into a global medical leadership structure led by Global Chief Medical Officer Pat Carroll, MD. Dr. Garcha brings over two decades of experience across public and private UK and international health systems, including clinical leadership roles at Flow Neuroscience and Babylon Health and almost 15 years as a practicing NHS GP, and will oversee clinical quality, patient safety, and prescribing standards across the UK and EMEA. Dr. Vickers is a practicing GP and supervisor with more than a decade of experience in family medical practice and has led health-tech efforts at Eucalyptus since 2019, and as Chief Medical Officer he will lead clinical strategy in Australia as Hims & Hers deepens its presence in the region. The pair join an international medical leadership bench that includes Sandy Van, MD, CCFP, ABOM Dipl, who has served as Chief Medical Officer of Hims & Hers Canada since December 2025.

PHC Holdings, which manufactures medical-related equipment, said on the 1st that it has received a non-binding initial acquisition proposal from Toho Holdings, a major pharmaceutical wholesaler. The announcement followed a report the previous day, and Toho Holdings also said it is "considering the matter mentioned in the article," though it said no decision has been made at this point. According to a Bloomberg report on September 30, Toho Holdings aims to acquire all shares through a tender offer, with the acquisition amount expected to exceed 200 billion yen. Domestic investment funds also showed interest in acquiring PHC, but Toho is currently the only buyer candidate in concrete acquisition talks. PHC's largest shareholder is the U.S. investment firm KKR, which holds about 38 percent. According to the report, PHC and KKR have each hired financial advisors and have been seeking a buyer for PHC in line with KKR's exit.

The Cigna Group introduced a new "Lead to One" vision at its 2026 Investor Day, aimed at driving durable growth through leadership in complex care and differentiated capabilities. The company reaffirmed its 2026 full-year financial guidance, including consolidated adjusted revenues of approximately $280 billion, consolidated adjusted EPS of at least $30.45, Evernorth Health Services pre-tax adjusted income from operations of at least $6.90 billion, Cigna Healthcare pre-tax adjusted income from operations of at least $4.55 billion, and a medical care ratio of 83.7% to 84.7%. Cigna also set long-term financial targets through 2030 of 10-14% adjusted EPS CAGR and approximately $50 billion in cumulative operating cash flow. As part of the plan, the company announced a new $3 billion multi-year modernization and productivity initiative to support growth and financial performance. Additionally, The Cigna Group Foundation is launching a new $10.5 million, three-year grant program to expand community support for patients and caregivers.

Dental Corporation Public Company Limited, or D, a full-service dental care provider, is preparing to move from the Market for Alternative Investment, or mai, to trade on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, or SET, in the Services industry group, Medical business sector, starting from October 1, 2026, after meeting the qualifications under SET criteria. Mr. Pornsak Tantapakul, Chief Executive Officer, disclosed that in 2025 the group had total revenue of 1.047 billion baht, an increase of 92.6 million baht, and net profit of 85.8 million baht, an increase of 35.3 million baht. In the first half of this year, total revenue was 554 million baht and net profit was 39.5 million baht. This move to the SET will help expand the base of new investor groups, especially domestic and foreign institutions that previously faced restrictions on investing in mai, as well as retail investors, and will help strengthen confidence in the company's image and credibility, while also increasing liquidity in trading of the company's securities.

Land and Houses Securities issued an analysis recommending a buy on BDMS shares with a target of 25.0 baht, assessing support at 19.3/19.5 baht and resistance at 20.4/21.0 baht. July revenue accelerated 8% year on year, up from only about 1% year on year in the first half of 2026, supported by a 9% year-on-year rise in Thai patients and a 6% year-on-year increase in foreign patients. The research team expects third-quarter 2026 profit to recover both year on year and quarter on quarter, viewing the second quarter of 2026 as this year's profit trough. For BGRIM shares, it recommends a buy with a target of 21.5 baht, assessing support at 18.0/18.4 baht and resistance at 20.0/20.8 baht. It sees the new Power Development Plan, due to take effect soon, as increasingly positive given rising electricity demand from data centers, with expectations of 300 to 500 megawatts of new generating capacity. Meanwhile, the NAKWOL 1 project, a wind project in South Korea, is 92% complete and will be a key turning point in raising the renewable share to reduce reliance on profit from small power producers. The first and second phases of the data center business are already 100% fully contracted with customers, with commercial operation dates expected by the third quarter of 2027, along with plans to expand to 300 megawatts both domestically and overseas.

Dental Corporation Public Company Limited, or D, is preparing to move the trading of its shares from the Market for Alternative Investment, or mai, to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, or SET, in the services industry group, medical business sector, starting from 1 October 2026, after meeting the qualifications under SET criteria. Pornsak Tantapakul, Chief Executive Officer, revealed that all businesses of the D group have grown strongly, especially the dental business. For its 2025 operating results, the group had total revenue of 1.047 billion baht, an increase of 92.6 million baht, and net profit of 85.8 million baht, an increase of 35.3 million baht. In the first half of this year, the group had total revenue of 554 million baht and net profit of 39.5 million baht. This move to the SET will open opportunities to expand its base of new investor groups, especially institutional investors both domestic and foreign that previously faced restrictions on investing in the mai market, as well as to expand its base of retail investors further.

Dental Corporation, known as D, a full-service dental care provider, is preparing to move from the Market for Alternative Investment, or mai, to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, or SET, in the services industry group, medical business sector, starting October 1, 2026, after meeting the SET's listing criteria. Pornsak Tantapakul, Chief Executive Officer, said the board migration reflects the strength of all business groups, especially dental services, which has driven continuous growth in both revenue and net profit. For 2025 results, the group reported total revenue of 1.047 billion baht, an increase of 92.6 million baht, and net profit of 85.8 million baht, an increase of 35.3 million baht. In the first half of 2026, total revenue was 554 million baht and net profit was 39.5 million baht. Listing on the SET will help open opportunities to expand its investor base, particularly institutional investors both domestic and foreign, as well as enhance credibility, corporate image, and increase liquidity in trading of the company's shares.

Dental Corporation Public Company Limited, or D, a full-service dental care provider, is preparing to move from the Market for Alternative Investment, or mai, to trade on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, or SET, in the Services industry group, Health Care sector, starting 1 October 2026, after meeting the qualifications under the Stock Exchange of Thailand's criteria. Chief Executive Officer Pornsak Tantapakul said that in 2025 the group reported total revenue of 1.047 billion baht, an increase of 92.6 million baht, and net profit of 85.8 million baht, an increase of 35.3 million baht, representing profit growth of 70%. For the first half of this year, the group has already recorded total revenue of 554 million baht and net profit of 39.5 million baht, with growth driven by its strong dental business. The move to trade on the SET will help broaden the investor base to new groups, including domestic and foreign institutions that previously faced restrictions on investing in the mai market, as well as retail investors, and will also strengthen confidence in the company's image and credibility while increasing liquidity in trading of its securities.

Dental Corporation Public Company Limited, or D, a full-service dental care provider, is preparing to move from the Market for Alternative Investment, or mai, to trade on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, or SET, in the Services industry group, Medical business sector, starting from 1 October 2026, after meeting the qualifications under SET's criteria. Mr. Pornsak Tantapakul, Chief Executive Officer, disclosed that in 2025 the group's total revenue was 1.047 billion baht, an increase of 92.6 million baht, with net profit of 85.8 million baht, up 35.3 million baht. In the first half of this year, total revenue was 554 million baht and net profit was 39.5 million baht. The move to the SET this time will help expand the company's new investor base, especially domestic and foreign institutions that previously faced restrictions on investing in the mai market, as well as retail investors, and will also strengthen confidence in its image and credibility, while increasing liquidity in trading of the company's securities.

Dental Corporation Public Company Limited, or D, is preparing to move from the Market for Alternative Investment, or mai, to trade on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, or SET, in the Services industry group, Medical business sector, starting from October 1, 2026, after meeting the qualifications under SET's criteria. Mr. Pornsak Tantapakul, Chief Executive Officer, disclosed that operating results have continued to grow, especially in the dental business. For the 2025 performance, the group had total revenue of 1.047 billion baht, an increase of 92.6 million baht, and net profit of 85.8 million baht, an increase of 35.3 million baht. In the first half of this year, total revenue was 554 million baht and net profit was 39.5 million baht. This move to trade on the SET is expected to help expand the investor base, including domestic institutional, foreign, and retail investors, as well as strengthen image and confidence and increase liquidity in the trading of the company's securities.

McKesson raised its fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS guidance to $44.20-$45.00, implying 15-17% growth at the midpoint, after first-quarter revenues rose 8% to $105.4 billion and adjusted EPS climbed 20% to $9.93. The oncology and multispecialty segment drove much of the momentum, with revenues up 33% to $14.2 billion and operating profit up 41%, or roughly 24% revenue growth excluding the Core Ventures acquisition, and management now expects 14.5-18.5% segment revenue growth for fiscal 2027. North American Pharmaceutical generated $15 billion of GLP-1 distribution revenues in the quarter, more than 14% of total revenues, up approximately 24% year over year and 13% sequentially. Offsetting those gains, the medical-surgical solutions segment posted just 4% revenue growth to $2.8 billion while operating profit fell 20% to $195 million, and management guided to only 1-6% revenue growth and flat-to-4% operating-profit growth for that unit in fiscal 2027. McKesson also flagged continued uncertainty from 340B reform and the IRA Part D framework, which is not scheduled to take effect until January 2028, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2027 EPS has improved 3 cents to $44.64 over the past 30 days.

Praram 9 Hospital, or PR9, has expanded its use of telemedicine for patients with mild symptoms and arranged ambulances to pick up patients facing travel restrictions, in a bid to maintain continuity of care amid heavy rain and flooding. Dr. Witthaya Wanpen, Deputy Managing Director of the Business Development and Strategic Planning Office, told the Stock Vision news team that although some patients asked to postpone appointments on September 26-27, 2026, due to travel disruptions, the hospital continues to operate as normal, and bed occupancy currently stands at around 70%, leaving sufficient capacity to handle major surgery and emergency cases. Foreign patients also continue to travel in for treatment, particularly those from the Middle East seeking care for kidney disease, diabetes and diabetic wounds, patients from Myanmar requiring cancer surgery and robot-assisted procedures using the da Vinci Robot, and patients from China seeking consultations for infertility or IVF. Operating results for the third quarter of 2026 remain in line with targets, and the company aims for single-digit revenue growth in 2026, with the fourth quarter seen as the high season for the hospital business, which is expected to help support full-year growth in line with the set target.

Dr. Chalerm Harnphanich, Chief Executive Officer of Bangkok Chain Hospital Public Company Limited, or BCH, disclosed that the Election Committee for Employer Representatives and Insured Person Representatives resolved to postpone the election date for the Social Security Board from September 27 to October 11, 2026, due to flood situations in many areas. This does not affect the certification of the meeting results of the Subcommittee on Medical Treatment Fee Rates, which is expected to reach a conclusion on adjusting service rates before October 24, and is expected to take effect in the fourth quarter of 2026 or at the latest on January 1, 2027. The company has not yet included this matter in its 2026 growth projections. Meanwhile, the flood situation in Bangkok and its vicinity affected the number of patients seeking services only slightly, specifically during periods of heavy rain, and both Thai and foreign patients quickly returned to normal service use. Only the Chaengwattana branch is in a near-flood condition, while the bed occupancy rate remains at a high level. For the third-quarter 2026 outlook, continued growth is expected from the high season. The subcommittee is scheduled to hold its third meeting on October 5, and if no conclusion is reached, a fourth meeting may be held before October 24, which is the date the subcommittee's term expires. Kasikorn Securities assesses that the new Social Security Board is likely to begin operations within November, compared with the previous expectation of October, and maintains a neutral view on the hospital group, with an assumption of a 5% increase in the flat-rate payment rate starting in 2027. It recommends buying BCH with a target price of 12.50 baht and RJH with a target price of 17.20 baht, and recommends holding CHG with a target price of 1.69 baht.

Labcorp Holdings is expanding in high-growth specialty testing markets while broadening its consumer testing business, with acquisitions, health-system relationships and new contracts boosting its reach. In the second quarter of 2026, the company completed acquisitions of select Parkview Health outreach laboratory services and Tribal Diagnostics, invested $225.7 million in acquisitions, and secured another Department of Defense contract to provide testing across military hospitals worldwide; net acquisitions added 1.2% to enterprise revenue growth and 1.9% to Diagnostics growth during the quarter. Enterprise adjusted operating margin expanded 70 basis points year over year to 15.8% in the second quarter of 2026, with Diagnostics margin up 50 basis points to 18% and BLS margin up 130 basis points to 17%. Management estimated that Affordable Care Act-related changes reduced second-quarter 2026 diagnostic volume by 20-30 basis points and continues to assume a 30-basis-point full-year impact, though the affected payer group represents less than 4-5% of diagnostic volume. Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Labcorp's 2026 earnings per share has edged up 0.2% to $18.32, while the 2026 revenue consensus stands at $14.75 billion, implying 5.7% growth over 2025.

Asia Plus Securities said GLP-1 drugs, used to treat type 2 diabetes and, in some formulations, to control weight in obese patients, are becoming a theme that supports private hospital operators, after Thailand's Food and Drug Administration upgraded GLP-1 injectables to specially controlled drugs from 15 September 2026, requiring them to be dispensed by prescription and using a Track & Trace system to monitor distribution and reduce leakage outside the system. Novo Nordisk is pressing ahead with expanding the obesity and diabetes market, including clinical research in Thailand, after investing about 370 million baht in research and development between 2019 and 2023. The research team holds a slightly positive view on private hospitals, because tighter regulation is likely to shift the channels through which the drugs are accessed rather than reduce demand, and should draw users toward standardised hospitals and clinics. Business opportunities extend to consultation fees, laboratory tests, follow-up and care for comorbidities. The effect on short-term profit is limited, given a still-low revenue base and constraints on drug prices, access and competition. The research team keeps an overweight stance on the hospital sector and sees BDMS and PR9 as standout beneficiaries. BDMS is advantaged by a diverse patient base and a large hospital network, while PR9 stands out for its cash-paying patient base, service accessibility, value for money and specialised services. BH also benefits from a cash-paying patient base and high-spending customers, but the quantitative benefit is expected to be smaller. It maintains Buy ratings on BDMS, PR9 and BH, with 2027 fair values of 25.00 baht, 3.00 baht and 225.00 baht respectively.