The Wegovy Mirage
Hims & Hers and Novo Nordisk, huh? Back together again? Or at least, "in discussions"? Give me a break. This whole dance feels like a bad reality TV show where the contestants keep "mutually parting ways" only to dramatically reunite for ratings. Excuse me while I roll my eyes so hard I see my brain.
So, Hims & Hers is "excited to re-engage" with Novo Nordisk, according to CEO Andrew Dudum. Translation: "We desperately need a win in the weight-loss market, and Wegovy is the shiniest object we can chase after."
The article says investors are optimistic because this potential partnership could give Hims access to Wegovy. Could. Potential. These are the key words here, people. This whole thing could fall apart before you can say "FDA approval."
And let's not forget what happened last time. Back in June, Novo Nordisk slammed the door shut on Hims over "patient safety" concerns. Now, suddenly, they're buddy-buddy again? What changed? Did Hims suddenly discover a foolproof way to prevent patients from, you know, hurting themselves? I doubt it.
I'm calling it now: this is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to pump up the HIMS stock price. And offcourse, it's working. Shares jumped in pre-market trading. Classic. Hims & Hers Stock (HIMS) Pops on Talks to Offer Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy
Playing the Numbers Game
Okay, fine, let's talk numbers. Hims & Hers had a decent Q3, with revenue up 49% year-over-year. Subscribers are up too. But net income dropped compared to last year. And EPS missed expectations. So, they're spending more to make less? That's not exactly a recipe for long-term success.
They're narrowing their full-year revenue guidance, which sounds good on the surface, but let's be real: it means they're hedging their bets. They're not as confident as they were before. Maybe I'm just cynical.
And all this talk about "Adjusted EBITDA"? That's just corporate speak for "We're losing money, but here's a fancy metric that makes us look better." It's like putting lipstick on a pig. A very expensive, tech-enabled pig.
Don't even get me started on the analyst ratings. "Hold" consensus? That's code for "We don't know what the hell is going on, so we're playing it safe." And a 12% upside? That's chump change in this market.
The Telehealth Trap
Hims & Hers is trying to be the "leading health and wellness platform." But what does that even mean? It's just another telehealth company peddling prescriptions online. It's convenient, sure, but is it good healthcare? I'm not convinced.
Telehealth is a double-edged sword. Yes, it can make healthcare more accessible, especially for people in rural areas or those who can't afford traditional doctor visits. But it also removes the human element. It turns healthcare into a transaction.
And let's not forget the data privacy concerns. Hims & Hers is collecting a ton of personal information about its users. What are they doing with it? Are they selling it to third parties? They say they're not, but do we really trust them? I don't.
Then again, maybe I'm the crazy one here. Maybe I'm just a Luddite who's afraid of technology. But I still think there's something inherently wrong with turning healthcare into a commodity. Something missing.
This Is Just Another Pump and Dump
Hims & Hers re-engaging with Novo Nordisk? It's a distraction. A shiny object designed to keep investors from looking too closely at the company's underlying problems. Don't fall for it.
