Options Trading for Alignment Healthcare (ALHC) in the First Week of August 2026
Put Contract Overview: The $17.50 put contract for ALHC has a bid of $1.35, allowing investors to buy shares at a lower cost basis of $16.15, which is attractive compared to the current price of $20.33. There is a 74% chance the contract may expire worthless, potentially yielding a 7.71% return on cash commitment.
Call Contract Overview: The $25.00 call contract has a bid of $1.55, offering a potential total return of 30.60% if the stock is called away by August 2026. There is a 59% chance this contract may also expire worthless, allowing investors to keep both their shares and the premium collected.
Volatility Insights: The implied volatility for the put contract is 52%, while the call contract has an implied volatility of 49%. The actual trailing twelve-month volatility is calculated at 46%, indicating a stable trading environment.
YieldBoost Concept: Both the put and call contracts offer a YieldBoost, with the put providing an 11.49% annualized return if it expires worthless, and the call offering an 11.36% annualized return under similar conditions.
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Analyst Views on ALHC
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- Significant Stock Drop: Astrana Health Inc. shares fell approximately 22% to close at $21.48 on Tuesday, primarily due to CMS's proposed 0.09% payment growth for Medicare Advantage in 2027, indicating weak payment growth that could impact future revenues.
- High Revenue Dependency: Analysts noted that Medicare accounts for about 61% of Astrana Health's revenue, and despite the sharp decline, the stock's drop was more severe than peers like Agilon Health and Alignment Healthcare, which fell around 10% and 12%, respectively, reflecting greater market concerns about Astrana.
- Differentiated Risk Adjustment Practices: Analyst William Blair highlighted that Astrana Health's risk adjustment practices differ from larger payers, relying on direct patient care rather than audio-only visits or standalone chart reviews, resulting in lower exposure to the risk score impacts proposed by CMS.
- Long-Term Value Potential: Despite short-term pressures, analysts believe that CMS's proposals could enhance the company's long-term value, as payers will need to rely on fully delegated care delivery partners to manage patients and costs, potentially leading to more delegated contract agreements in 2027 and beyond.
- Acumen Pharmaceuticals Surge: Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ABOS) advanced 8.09% in after-hours trading to close at $2.94, adding $0.22, indicating strong investor confidence in its growth prospects.
- Fulgent Genetics Rise: Fulgent Genetics, Inc. (FLGT) rose 5.98% to $28.90 in after-hours trading, gaining $1.63, reflecting market optimism regarding its business outlook.
- Fractyl Health Growth: Fractyl Health, Inc. (GUTS) climbed 5.19% to $2.23 after hours, up $0.11, suggesting that its potential in the biotech sector is being recognized by the market.
- Coeptis Therapeutics Increase: Coeptis Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (COEP) added 4.14% to finish at $13.85, gaining $0.55 in after-hours trading, demonstrating investor support for its strategic direction.
- S&P 500 Hits All-Time High: The S&P 500 index rose 0.41% on Tuesday, achieving a new all-time high, reflecting strong market confidence in tech stocks and chipmakers, particularly after Micron Technology announced a $24 billion investment in Singapore to expand memory chip capacity.
- Nasdaq Performance Strong: The Nasdaq 100 index increased by 0.88%, reaching a 2.75-month high, indicating investor optimism in AI infrastructure and semiconductor sectors, which propelled the broader market higher.
- Consumer Confidence Index Declines: Despite the stock market gains, the US January consumer confidence index unexpectedly fell to an 11.5-year low of 84.5, highlighting economic uncertainty that could negatively impact future consumer spending.
- Health Insurance Stocks Under Pressure: The proposal by the US government to keep payments to private Medicare plans flat next year led to a broad decline in health insurance stocks, with UnitedHealth Group forecasting a revenue contraction in 2026, marking the first annual decline in over 30 years, raising further market concerns.
- Tech Stock Surge: The Nasdaq 100 index rose by 0.87%, reaching a 2.75-month high, primarily driven by strength in chipmakers and AI infrastructure stocks, indicating strong market confidence in the tech sector.
- Micron's Investment Plan: Micron Technology announced a $24 billion investment in Singapore to expand memory chip capacity, leading to a 5% stock price increase, which not only enhances its competitive position but may also stimulate growth in the related supply chain.
- Consumer Confidence Decline: Despite the stock market gains, the US January consumer confidence index unexpectedly fell to an 11.5-year low of 84.5, indicating economic uncertainty that could negatively impact consumer spending.
- Health Insurance Stocks Under Pressure: The proposed flat payments for private Medicare plans led UnitedHealth Group's stock to drop over 19%, marking the first expected revenue decline in over 30 years, reflecting the policy risks facing the healthcare sector.
- Chip Stock Surge: Micron Technology's announcement of a $24 billion investment in Singapore to expand memory chip capacity has led to a 4% increase in its stock price, driving broader market gains and reflecting strong confidence in the semiconductor sector.
- Health Insurance Sector Pressure: The proposed flat payments to private Medicare plans by the US government have caused UnitedHealth Group to forecast a revenue decline in 2026, marking the first annual contraction in over 30 years, resulting in a stock drop of over 19%, highlighting significant challenges in the industry.
- Economic Data Impact: The ADP report indicates that US private payrolls rose by an average of 7,750 per week in the four weeks ending January 3, the smallest increase in six weeks, which may affect investor confidence in economic recovery.
- Upcoming Economic Indicators: The market is focused on consumer confidence and initial unemployment claims data this week, with the consumer confidence index expected to rise to 91.0, potentially providing support for the market and reflecting consumer optimism about the economic outlook.
- Payment Growth Forecast: CMS anticipates a mere 0.09% payment growth for Medicare Advantage in 2027, translating to over $700 million in additional payments, indicating significant pressure on insurers' profitability.
- Market Reaction: Following the update, shares of major health insurers plummeted, with UnitedHealth Group down 13.13%, reflecting market unease regarding future payment policies.
- Risk Adjustment Model Update: CMS proposed updates to the Part C risk adjustment model aimed at enhancing plan competitiveness by reducing administrative burdens and ensuring payment accuracy, highlighting a focus on beneficiary health risks.
- Drug Plan Adjustments: CMS also proposed updates to Part D risk adjustments to reflect changes from the Inflation Reduction Act, aiming to improve predictive accuracy for prescription drug plans, further impacting insurers' operational strategies.










