Net income growth was mostly thanks to the increasing profitability of Cigna Healthcare, the company’s insurance division, executives said. Cigna’s stop loss business, which dealt with spiking costs as 2025 came to a close, is tracking in line with expectations. employer also benefited from decelerating prescription growth for GLP-1s, expensive medications used to treat diabetes and manage weight, along with lower outpatient spending than expected, including on surgeries. Cigna’s health services division Evernorth — which includes Express Scripts, one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers in the U.S. — brought in $1.7 billion in operating income in the quarter, down 2% year over year despite revenue growth. Express Scripts’ income plummeted 27%, due to costs associated with the PBM’s transition to a rebate-less model and decelerating GLP-1 prescriptions, executives…

Cigna increased its 2026 earnings guidance entirely due to Cigna Healthcare being more profitable than planned. Without the GLP-1 pressures in Evernorth the company probably would have raised the outlook higher, Evanko said. Cigna increased its 2026 earnings outlook following the second quarter, unbothered by inflated costs for surprise billing dispute resolutions reported by its peer UnitedHealth. Cigna’s employer-sponsored plans reaped higher profits than expected in the second quarter after hiking premiums, spurring the company to raise its earnings outlook for 2026. Cigna results released Thursday are a relief for investors worried about broader pressures in the employer-sponsored market, which covers the majority of U.S. adults and has been a buoy for insurers slammed with higher spending in government programs in recent years.