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Humana (HUM) Stock News: BlackRock Takes Over CenterWell Clinic Venture as Analysts Lift Targets

Steven Levine, Founder of TickerPosts and OpenClassActions.com1 min read
A doctor in a medical uniform with a stethoscope standing in a clinic corridor.
Illustrative photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels

Humana announced on October 13 a new joint venture with funds and accounts managed by HPS Investment Partners, a part of BlackRock, to own and fund nearly 150 CenterWell Senior Primary Care clinics, according to the company’s announcement.

The transaction

BlackRock will acquire the equity stake of Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, valued at about $2.8 billion, replacing the joint ventures that helped scale CenterWell into what Humana calls the largest senior-focused primary care provider in the country. The new venture is majority-owned by BlackRock and minority-owned by CenterWell, and is expected to deploy additional capital over the next two years to fund operations, open clinics and make acquisitions. CenterWell continues to manage every clinic and, beginning in 2028, can elect to purchase clinics from the venture. Humana says the structure improves balance-sheet efficiency and lowers its cost of capital. Closing is expected in the fourth quarter, subject to regulatory approvals, with no material effect on 2026 adjusted earnings guidance. It is Humana’s second transaction with BlackRock this year after the Gentiva stake sale.

Analyst moves

Reports of brokerage notes following Humana’s 2027 star ratings improvement describe Baird upgrading the stock to Outperform with a $596 target, up from $390, citing confidence in 2028 earnings, and Barclays raising its target to $582 from $515 at Overweight, pointing to a 93% bonus-eligible membership mix. These are summaries of analyst opinions, not company statements.

What to compare next

For readers following HUM, the venture shifts clinic capital spending off Humana’s balance sheet while keeping operating control, so the trade-off is future upside shared with BlackRock. The purchase option from 2028 is the clause that determines how much of CenterWell’s growth Humana can bring back in-house.

Published October 21, 2026. Informational reporting, not investment advice. Figures come from the company's own release unless stated; forward-looking guidance is management's current forecast and can change.

Sources