Teladoc (TDOC) Moves 14.4% Higher: Will This Strength Last?

Teladoc (TDOC) shares rallied 14.4% in the last trading session to close at $7.89. This move can be attributable to notable volume with a higher number of shares being traded than in a typical session. This compares to the stock's 1.3% gain over the past four weeks.

Teladoc witnessed a price rise after Citron Research highlighted strong growth prospects following the company’s Goldman Sachs presentation, where management revealed that embedding BetterHelp in employer health plans could drastically improve conversion rates. The recent acquisition of UpLift enables insurance billing. Citron also emphasized TDOC’s AI edge and scale as key drivers of future profitability.

Besides, Teladoc's competitive strengths lie in its unmatched integration of virtual care services, global reach and data-driven innovation. It offers a comprehensive suite of clinical services—from wellness and acute care to chronic and mental health management—through a highly scalable, secure and API-driven platform. Its proprietary engagement science, predictive analytics and personalized communications drive exceptional member utilization. 

This telehealth services provider is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.26 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +7.1%. Revenues are expected to be $621.69 million, down 3.2% from the year-ago quarter.

While earnings and revenue growth expectations are important in evaluating the potential strength in a stock, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For Teladoc, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 3.4% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. And a positive trend in earnings estimate revision usually translates into price appreciation. So, make sure to keep an eye on TDOC going forward to see if this recent jump can turn into more strength down the road.

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Teladoc is a member of the Zacks Medical Services industry. One other stock in the same industry, LifeMD, Inc. (LFMD), finished the last trading session 3.1% lower at $14.3. LFMD has returned 28% over the past month.

For LifeMD, the consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming report has remained unchanged over the past month at -$0.02. This represents a change of +89.5% from what the company reported a year ago. LifeMD currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research