Home

TDOC Q1 Earnings Call: UpLift Acquisition and Integrated Care Growth Shape Teladoc’s Outlook

TDOC Cover Image

Digital medical services platform Teladoc Health (NYSE:TDOC) reported Q1 CY2025 results topping the market’s revenue expectations, but sales fell by 2.6% year on year to $629.4 million. The company expects next quarter’s revenue to be around $623.5 million, close to analysts’ estimates. Its non-GAAP loss of $0.01 per share was 96.5% above analysts’ consensus estimates.

Is now the time to buy TDOC? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

Teladoc (TDOC) Q1 CY2025 Highlights:

  • Revenue: $629.4 million vs analyst estimates of $618.9 million (2.6% year-on-year decline, 1.7% beat)
  • Adjusted EPS: -$0.01 vs analyst estimates of -$0.36 (96.5% beat)
  • Adjusted EBITDA: $58.09 million vs analyst estimates of $53.54 million (9.2% margin, 8.5% beat)
  • The company reconfirmed its revenue guidance for the full year of $2.52 billion at the midpoint
  • EBITDA guidance for the full year is $283.5 million at the midpoint, below analyst estimates of $293.2 million
  • Operating Margin: -19.2%, down from -13.5% in the same quarter last year
  • Free Cash Flow Margin: 2.1%, down from 12.5% in the previous quarter
  • U.S. Integrated Care Members: 102.5 million, up 10.7 million year on year
  • Market Capitalization: $1.34 billion

StockStory’s Take

Teladoc Health’s first-quarter results were influenced by ongoing efforts to expand its virtual care platform and drive operational efficiency. Management credited the quarter’s performance to integrated care membership growth, international expansion, and the acquisition of Catapult Health. CEO Chuck Divita emphasized the importance of recent strategic moves, noting, “We see many opportunities ahead to further strengthen our position and unlock future growth potential.”

Looking ahead, management’s guidance centers on executing the integration of new acquisitions, expanding insurance coverage options in the BetterHelp segment, and navigating macroeconomic headwinds, including cost pressures and tariffs. CFO Mala Murthy flagged uncertainty around tariffs and consumer sentiment, stating, “Macros are uncertain. Consumer sentiment is certainly uncertain to softening.” Teladoc aims to leverage its scale and recent investments to return to growth in both revenue and profitability.

Key Insights from Management’s Remarks

Management’s commentary on the call highlighted major initiatives shaping Teladoc’s trajectory, focusing primarily on business model evolution, segment strategies, and the operational environment.

  • Expansion via Acquisitions: Teladoc announced the acquisition of UpLift, a virtual mental health provider, to support its BetterHelp segment. Management expects this to accelerate access to benefits-covered mental health care, leveraging UpLift’s in-network contracts and provider network.
  • Integrated Care Membership Growth: U.S. integrated care membership surpassed 100 million, driven by new client additions such as the Tricare contract. Management stated that while revenue per member declined due to new lower-revenue members, these cohorts present future cross-selling opportunities as more services are introduced.
  • International Performance: Integrated care’s international business grew revenue in the mid-teens (on a constant currency basis), with notable progress in both business-to-business and public health channels. Management views international as a meaningful growth driver.
  • Product Innovation: New offerings launched in chronic care—including an integrated cardiometabolic health program and a partnership with LillyDirect for weight management—are aimed at broadening Teladoc’s clinical impact and supporting long-term member outcomes.
  • Operational Efficiency and Cost Controls: Management reported ongoing cost savings, particularly in technology and administrative expenses, and noted further streamlining to offset macroeconomic challenges. Technology and development spend is expected to decline year-over-year.

Drivers of Future Performance

Management’s outlook for the rest of the year is shaped by the integration of recent acquisitions, expansion of insurance-based mental health offerings, and the need to navigate unpredictable macroeconomic trends.

  • UpLift Integration and Benefits Coverage: Teladoc plans to scale UpLift’s insurance-based model within BetterHelp, aiming for higher user conversion and session volume, though management acknowledges lower gross margins for benefit-covered therapy compared to cash-pay options.
  • Cross-Selling to New Members: The company’s strategy is to upsell additional services, particularly chronic care and specialist consults, to recently onboarded integrated care members. Management views this as a key lever for future revenue growth.
  • Macroeconomic and Regulatory Risks: Management identified tariffs on imported equipment and weakening consumer sentiment as potential headwinds, and noted that these factors have not been fully incorporated into current financial guidance.

Top Analyst Questions

  • Jessica Tassan (Piper Sandler): Asked about the impact of weekly billing on BetterHelp churn; management responded that weekly billing improves conversion but increases churn, with net positive effects on user acquisition.
  • David Roman (Goldman Sachs): Questioned the decline in revenue per member and strategic focus; management explained that recent member growth comes with lower initial revenue, but presents future expansion potential, especially as more services are sold.
  • Daniel Grosslight (Citi): Inquired about the margin trajectory for BetterHelp and the integration of UpLift; management stated that margin improvement is expected in the second half due to international expansion and advertising spend adjustments, with UpLift adding incremental cost this year.
  • Elizabeth Anderson (Evercore): Sought clarification on cost saving initiatives; management indicated ongoing reductions in technology and G&A expenses and highlighted a lowered stock-based compensation outlook.
  • Charles Rhyee (Cowen): Pressed on capital allocation priorities given the stock’s valuation; management said all options remain under review, including buybacks, but current focus is on deploying capital to drive long-term growth through acquisitions and capability building.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will be monitoring (1) the pace and effectiveness of UpLift’s integration into BetterHelp and the resulting insurance-based user growth, (2) Teladoc’s ability to upsell higher-value services to newly acquired integrated care members, and (3) the company’s management of tariff-related cost headwinds. Progress on international expansion and performance in chronic care solutions will also be important indicators.

Teladoc currently trades at a forward EV/EBITDA ratio of 4.4×. Should you load up, cash out, or stay put? The answer lies in our free research report.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs.

While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years.

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.