Personalis, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSNL) experienced a notable increase in its stock price during Tuesday's premarket session after Medicare announced coverage for its NeXT Personal molecular residual disease (MRD) test, which serves patients with lung cancer. This announcement coincided with a general uptick in the stock market, where the Nasdaq index advanced by 0.33% and the S&P 500 rose by 0.22% on the prior trading day.
The NeXT Personal test employs advanced genomic sequencing technology to detect molecular residual disease in patients diagnosed with Stage I to III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Medicare's decision to cover this test is anticipated to widen patient access to a diagnostic tool capable of tracking up to 1,800 genetic mutations. This monitoring capability plays a critical role in assessing disease recurrence and detecting residual cancer post-treatment.
This Medicare endorsement follows clinical validation achieved through the TRACERx collaboration, which confirmed the high accuracy of the NeXT Personal test in identifying residual disease among lung cancer patients. CEO Chris Hall highlighted that gaining Medicare coverage not only expands access for those affected by lung cancer but also acts as an important catalyst for the company's strategic expansion within the oncology diagnostics market.
From a technical perspective, Personalis' stock is currently trading approximately 16.6% below its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 13.7% below its 50-day SMA, reflecting some short-term price pressure. However, the stock remains above longer-term averages, trading 4.3% over its 100-day SMA and 21.1% higher than its 200-day SMA. Over the span of the last year, shares have appreciated by 56.29%, positioning closer to their 52-week highs rather than lows.
Technical indicators exhibit mixed momentum signals. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 39.64, suggesting a neutral position, while the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator is below its signal line, indicative of bearish momentum. This combination implies that market participants should monitor for potential directional shifts in trading activity.
Significant technical price levels include a key resistance point at $10.00 and support found near $7.50.
The recent Medicare coverage decision marks a pivotal milestone for Personalis, strengthening its competitive position and enabling broader adoption of its genomic diagnostics, which is particularly significant in light of lung cancer's prevalence as a leading cause of cancer mortality within the United States. The ability to monitor disease progression at the molecular level offers oncologists enhanced tools for treatment decisions and patient management.
Looking ahead, investors are awaiting the company's forthcoming earnings report scheduled for release on February 26, 2026. Analyst forecasts project an earnings per share (EPS) loss of $0.29, a modest decline compared to a prior estimated loss of $0.23 year-over-year. Revenue is expected to rise to approximately $17.55 million from $16.80 million in the previous year, indicating growth prospects despite ongoing net losses.
The analyst consensus remains positive, with a "Buy" rating on the stock and an average price target of $11.78. Recent analyst activity includes Guggenheim raising its price target to $13.00 with a Buy rating as of January 26. Similarly, BTIG reaffirmed a Buy rating with a $12.00 target on January 9, while Morgan Stanley assigned an Equal-Weight rating but increased its price objective to $11.00 on December 2, 2025.
According to Benzinga Edge rankings, Personalis holds a strong momentum score of 92.11, reflecting solid relative performance against the broader market. This positive momentum, combined with recent Medicare approval, underscores the stock's attractive market positioning and potential for future gains.
Notably, Personalis maintains a significant weighting of 6.35% in the ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (BATS: ARKG). Consequently, fluctuations in ARKG's fund flows are likely to result in correlated buying or selling pressure on Personalis shares due to portfolio rebalancing.
Personalis shares were observed trading up 14.90% to $8.99 in premarket trading on Tuesday, according to data from Benzinga Pro.