Guardant Health Stock Price, News & Analysis

Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH) announced that its Shield™ blood test for colorectal cancer screening is now covered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Care Network. The coverage applies to VA community care beneficiaries aged 45-84 with no copay requirement, marking the first coverage extension beyond Medicare beneficiaries.

The VA network coverage, which serves approximately 9.1 million beneficiaries, follows Medicare's coverage announcement in August 2024. This expansion particularly benefits individuals between 45-64 years old. The Shield blood test, which received FDA approval in July 2024 as the first blood test for primary CRC screening, also recently obtained Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory Test (ADLT) status from CMS.

Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH) has received Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory Test (ADLT) status from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for its Shield™ blood test for colorectal cancer screening. The test, which received FDA approval in July 2024 as the first blood test for primary CRC screening, will be reimbursed at $1,495 for Medicare patients during the initial nine-month ADLT period starting April 1, 2025.

The ADLT status confirms Shield's innovative nature in providing novel clinical information unavailable through other methods. Following the initial period, Guardant Health will submit private-payer payment data, with the median rate determining Medicare pricing from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027. The Shield blood test is approved for primary non-invasive colorectal cancer screening in average-risk individuals age 45 and older.

Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH) has announced a collaboration with Dak Prescott's Faith Fight Finish Foundation and Partners in Wellness to enhance colorectal cancer screening in Louisiana. The initiative will provide Guardant's Shield™ blood test through mobile screening vans serving over 30 communities in northern and central Louisiana.

The program targets an area with particularly high colorectal cancer rates, with 7 of the 11 highest prevalence areas in the state located in northern Louisiana. The initiative is especially significant as colorectal cancer disproportionately affects African American populations, who represent 59% of Partners in Wellness patients.

Partners in Wellness, operating since 1999, has served more than 20,000 patients and provided over 50,000 screenings at no cost. The program will conduct multiple mobile screening events during March (Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month), offering the Shield blood test regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, with results available in approximately two weeks.

Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH) announced the approval of equity awards for new non-executive employees under its 2023 Employment Inducement Incentive Award Plan. The compensation package includes:

• 110,681 restricted stock units (RSUs) granted to 102 new non-executive employees
• One non-qualified stock option award to purchase 22,091 shares granted to one new employee

The stock options have an exercise price of $42.44 per share, matching Guardant's closing price on Nasdaq on February 24, 2025. The RSUs vest annually over three years, while stock options vest one-third after one year and monthly thereafter over 24 months, subject to continued employment. These grants were approved on February 11, 2025, with a grant date of February 24, 2025, in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH) released its second annual 'Closing the Gap: CRC Screening Insights' survey, revealing significant barriers to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The Harris Poll survey of 1,000 adults aged 45-84 and 350 physicians showed that patient fear and anxiety are increasing barriers to screening, with 29% of patients reporting these concerns, up from 22% in 2024.

Key findings include that 93% of primary care providers believe patients are less likely to avoid screening if offered an FDA-approved blood test option. The survey highlighted that over 50 million Americans are not up-to-date with CRC screening, with People of Color showing lower screening rates (63%) compared to white people (72%).

Guardant Health's Shield blood test, recently FDA-approved as a primary CRC screening option, offers a more convenient alternative to traditional methods. The test requires no preparation or invasive procedures and can be completed during routine healthcare visits. 92% of Americans indicated they would be more satisfied with their wellness visit if offered this blood test option and more likely to get a colonoscopy following a positive blood test result.

Guardant Health (GH) reported strong financial results for Q4 and full year 2024, with total revenue reaching $739.0 million, up 31% year-over-year. The company's Q4 revenue was $201.8 million, a 30% increase from the previous year.

Key performance highlights include:

• Clinical oncology volume grew 24% in Q4, with approximately 57,300 tests
• Shield screening program reported 6,400 tests in Q4 with $4.1 million revenue
• Improved free cash flow burn to $275 million in 2024 from $345 million in 2023

For 2025, Guardant Health expects:

• Revenue between $850-860 million (15-16% growth)
• Oncology clinical volume growth of approximately 25%
• Shield screening revenue of $25-30 million
• Free cash flow burn improvement to $225-235 million

Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH), a precision oncology company, has announced its participation in four major upcoming investor conferences. The company will attend the BTIG 12th Annual MedTech, Digital Health, Life Science & Diagnostic Tools Conference in Snowbird, UT, hosting one-on-one meetings on February 11th-12th.

Additionally, Guardant Health will participate in three March conferences: the TD Cowen 45th Annual Health Care Conference in Boston (March 4th, 10:30 AM ET), the Leerink Partners Global Health Conference in Miami (March 11th, 4:20 PM ET), and the Barclays 27th Annual Global Healthcare Conference in Miami Beach (March 12th, 1:30 PM ET).

Interested investors can access live and archived webcasts of these sessions through the Investors section of Guardant Health's website.

Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH) announced a debt exchange transaction on February 6, 2025, where it will issue $600 million of 1.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2031 in exchange for retiring approximately $659.3 million of its outstanding 0% Convertible Senior Notes due 2027.

The new notes will have an initial conversion rate of 16.0716 shares per $1,000 principal amount, representing a conversion price of $62.22 per share with a 35% premium. After the transaction closes around February 14, 2025, approximately $490.7 million of 2027 Notes will remain outstanding.

Additionally, Guardant Health plans to repurchase approximately $45 million of its common stock, while the exchange agent intends to purchase approximately $35 million of shares from transaction participants.

Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH), a precision oncology company, has announced it will release its fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results after market close on Thursday, February 20, 2025. The company will host a conference call and webcast at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time / 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the same day to discuss the results. Investors can access the live audio webcast through the company's website, and a replay will be available after the event.