Could the Medibank share price be on the road to recovery?

Why is Medibank up today?

| More on:

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

Key points
  • The Medibank share price is up 2.63% to $2.93
  • Medibank shares hit a new 52-week low of $2.76 last Friday 
  • The fallout is continuing following Medibank's cyberattack

The Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) share price is decidedly in the green today, up 2.63% to $2.93.

Medibank shares hit a new 52-week low of $2.76 last Friday as the fallout continued from its cyberattack.

The Medibank share price has lost 14% of its value since news of the cyberattack broke two weeks ago.

road in the country with word recovery printed on it

Image source: Getty Images

Is the Medibank share price on its way back up?

That's a very hard call to make. Sure, the Medibank share price is up today. But this cyberattack story isn't over. There is likely going to be more news to come and the share price will react each time.

As my Fool colleague James reported yesterday, Medibank has already put a number on the damage. Medibank estimates that its half-year earnings will be impacted by $25 million to $35 million pre-tax.

This doesn't include potential remediation costs or regulatory and litigation costs. Nor the brand damage and potential customer churn.

According to the annual EFTM Mobile Phone Survey published on Friday, 10.32% of Optus customers have already switched to another provider following the company's cyberattack.

A further 56% say they are considering changing providers. That's one heck of a potential customer churn.

What do the experts think?

James reports that Citi has dropped its 12-month share price target for Medibank by 25% to $3.

Remarkably, that means there is potential upside for any ASX investor daring enough to buy a company in a PR crisis.

Citi said:

Key considerations from here will be the precise nature of the impact and the reaction of consumers to it, which is hard to gauge.

This could see the share price move in either direction, but the extent of the current uncertainty moves us to neutral, lowering our target price to $3.

Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

More on Financial Shares

A share market investment manager monitors share price movements on his mobile phone and laptop
Financial Shares

GQG Partners reports growth in funds under management for April 2026

GQG Partners saw April FUM climb to US$166.9 billion, as strong investment performance offset net outflows.

Read more »

Young businesswoman sitting in kitchen and working on laptop.
Financial Shares

Could Macquarie shares be the best ASX financial stock to buy?

Its latest result showed strong profit growth, but the bigger attraction is the range of ways this business can keep…

Read more »

A woman with a magnifying glass adjusts her glasses as she holds the glass to her computer screen and peers closely at it.
Financial Shares

3 key takeaways from the Macquarie results

This result showed why this financial stock deserves a premium valuation.

Read more »

A worried woman sits at her computer with her hands clutched at the bottom of her face.
Financial Shares

Why is this ASX financial stock dropping despite solid results?

Investors appear to focus on claims and broader market risks.

Read more »

Woman with $50 notes in her hand thinking, symbolising dividends.
Dividend Investing

New Macquarie dividend: Here's everything you need to know

Macquarie's latest dividend is a doozy.

Read more »

A woman wearing a yellow shirt smiles as she checks her phone.
Earnings Results

Macquarie shares slip despite FY26 profit jump

The investment bank had a very strong second half.

Read more »

A woman presenting company news to investors looks back at the camera and smiles.
Financial Shares

QBE Insurance Group reports Q1 2026 earnings

QBE reported strong Q1 2026 results with double-digit premium growth and maintained its optimistic outlook.

Read more »

Woman presenting financial report on large screen in conference room.
Financial Shares

Macquarie Group posts strong FY26 earnings growth

Macquarie Group lifted full-year profit by 30% and announced a higher dividend, with record contributions across its core divisions.

Read more »