Guardant Health, Inc. is a precision oncology company that provides blood and tissue tests, as well as data sets, in the United States and internationally. Its offerings include the Guardant360 CDx liquid biopsy test for tumor mutation profiling, the Guardant360 Liquid test covering over 740 genes, the Guardant Reveal blood test for molecular-level cancer detection, and the Guardant360 Tissue test for molecular profiling of tumor tissue. The company also provides the Shield blood test for colorectal cancer screening, the GuardantINFINITY test for tumor molecular profiles and immune response, the GuardantOMNI test covering 500 genes, GuardantINFORM for longitudinal biological and clinical insights, and GuardantConnect, a software solution connecting patients with actionable alterations to clinical studies. Additionally, it offers the Smart Platform for multiomic insights and development services such as companion diagnostic development, clinical study support, testing development, technology licensing, and kit fulfillment. Guardant Health has a strategic collaboration with Nuvalent, Inc. for oncology drug development. Incorporated in 2011, the company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
Guardant's Shield Wins Insurance Coverage and Sales Surge, Lifting Guidance
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UnitedHealth covers Shield blood test UnitedHealth, America's largest commercial insurer, became the first big insurer to cover Guardant's Shield blood test for colorectal cancer screening. Over 100 million people can now get it. More covered patients means more test sales, pushing revenue and the stock up.
This is a major new demand catalyst that directly expands the market for Guardant's key screening product.
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Q2 revenue jumps 44%, guidance raised Guardant reported second-quarter revenue of $335 million, up 44% from a year ago, and raised its full-year 2026 revenue outlook to $1.34–$1.36 billion. Oncology test volume grew 63% and Shield screening revenue more than tripled. Strong growth signals the business is scaling, which supports a higher stock price.
This is the latest hard financial evidence of accelerating demand and management confidence, a core driver of the stock.
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Quest's Haystack MRD test goes nationwide Quest Diagnostics won New York approval for its Haystack MRD liquid biopsy test, clearing it for use in all 50 states. This puts a large, well-funded competitor directly into cancer monitoring, where Guardant also plays. More competition could pressure Guardant's pricing and market share, a real counterweight.
It is a new competitive threat that could limit Guardant's growth in the cancer-monitoring market.
Q3 2026
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Guardant's Shield Wins Insurance Coverage and Sales Surge, Lifting Guidance
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UnitedHealth covers Shield blood test UnitedHealth, America's largest commercial insurer, became the first big insurer to cover Guardant's Shield blood test for colorectal cancer screening. Over 100 million people can now get it. More covered patients means more test sales, pushing revenue and the stock up.
This is a major new demand catalyst that directly expands the market for Guardant's key screening product.
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Q2 revenue jumps 44%, guidance raised Guardant reported second-quarter revenue of $335 million, up 44% from a year ago, and raised its full-year 2026 revenue outlook to $1.34–$1.36 billion. Oncology test volume grew 63% and Shield screening revenue more than tripled. Strong growth signals the business is scaling, which supports a higher stock price.
This is the latest hard financial evidence of accelerating demand and management confidence, a core driver of the stock.
▼
Quest's Haystack MRD test goes nationwide Quest Diagnostics won New York approval for its Haystack MRD liquid biopsy test, clearing it for use in all 50 states. This puts a large, well-funded competitor directly into cancer monitoring, where Guardant also plays. More competition could pressure Guardant's pricing and market share, a real counterweight.
It is a new competitive threat that could limit Guardant's growth in the cancer-monitoring market.
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Artificial Intelligence▲2
Cathie Wood's Ark Invest Buys $24.7 Million of CoreWeave, Trims Bitcoin ETF
Cathie Wood's Ark Invest added heavily to CoreWeave while cutting several other AI and technology positions last week. Ark bought about 239,000 shares of CoreWeave, the AI cloud infrastructure provider, worth roughly $24.7 million, and also added about $7.25 million of Meta Platforms shares. The purchases came alongside sales of about $5.9 million of Palantir, $10 million of Advanced Micro Devices, $13.1 million of Alphabet and $6.5 million of Shopify. Outside technology, Ark bought about $8.9 million of Ionis Pharmaceuticals and $9.3 million of Guardant Health while cutting $21.8 million of 10x Genomics. Its largest single sale was 1.53 million shares of the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF, worth about $39.8 million, and it also reduced positions in Circle and Coinbase.
AstraZeneca's Etcamah Wins FDA Approval for Advanced Breast Cancer
AstraZeneca announced that the FDA has approved Etcamah (camizestrant) in combination with a CDK4/6 inhibitor for certain patients with advanced breast cancer, marking its 10th FDA approval this year and fourth in breast cancer. The therapy is indicated for hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, and can be used with any of the three blockbuster CDK4/6 inhibitors: Pfizer's Ibrance, Novartis' Kisqali, and Eli Lilly's Verzenio. The accelerated approval is supported by the phase III SERENA-6 study, which showed a 56% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death versus standard-of-care hormone therapy plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor. The FDA also approved Guardant Health's companion diagnostic Guardant360 CDx to identify patients with ESR1 mutations eligible for the combination. AstraZeneca shares have fallen 11.5% year to date, underperforming the industry's 10% growth.
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Oncology Therapeutics ▲Competition
AZN.LSE · Technology · Positive FDA approval of Etcamah for advanced breast cancer is a major product milestone for AstraZeneca.
GH · Demand · Positive FDA approved Guardant360 CDx companion diagnostic to identify ESR1-mutant patients eligible for Etcamah, expanding use of its test.
FDA Approves Guardant360 CDx as Companion Diagnostic for AstraZeneca's ETCAMAH
Guardant Health announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its Guardant360 CDx as a companion diagnostic to identify patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer with ESR1 mutations who may benefit from AstraZeneca's ETCAMAH (camizestrant). This is the first FDA-approved liquid biopsy companion diagnostic for longitudinal testing in breast cancer, enabling repeat testing every three months to detect emerging ESR1 mutations before clinical or radiographic progression. The approval is based on the Phase III SERENA-6 trial, where ctDNA-guided treatment with camizestrant plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 56% compared to continuing an aromatase inhibitor with a CDK4/6 inhibitor. Patients in the new paradigm experienced a 74% longer median progression-free survival (16.0 vs. 9.2 months) and a 47% reduction in risk of deterioration in global health status. Approximately 37,000 U.S. women with advanced HR-positive breast cancer on aromatase inhibitors could benefit. This marks the 29th companion diagnostic indication for Guardant360 CDx, which is covered by Medicare and commercial payers representing over 300 million covered lives.
Guardant ordered to pay $245m in DNA sequencing patent dispute
A US court has ordered Guardant Health to pay TwinStrand Biosciences and the University of Washington $245.2 million after upholding a November 2023 jury verdict that found the company liable for infringing patented DNA sequencing technologies. The US District Court of Columbia's judgement ends a complaint TwinStrand filed in August 2021, asserting Guardant infringed two core patents underlying Duplex Sequencing technology, with infringement spanning 11 Guardant products including its Guardant360 CDx assay. The $245.2 million figure combines damages, accrued royalties and interest, up from the $83 million verdict in November 2023, and includes $119.4 million in royalties accrued between 5 February 2024 and 31 May 2026 based on a 6% levy applied to a $1.39 billion revenue base. Guardant has also been ordered to keep paying a 6% royalty on sales of covered products from 1 June 2026 through the patents' expiration on 15 March 2033, but the company plans to appeal and says current versions of Guardant Reveal and Shield should be excluded. Guardant shares fell 3.6% at market open to $164.62.
Guardant Health Surges on FDA Approval and Cancer Screening Momentum
Guardant Health, Inc. contributed to performance in the second quarter of 2026 following a string of positive developments, as several catalysts played out during the quarter. These developments include U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of an updated version of the Guardant360 liquid biopsy test, American Cancer Society inclusion of the company's Shield test for colorectal cancer screening, and a report of stronger-than-expected first-quarter earnings driven by volume growth and coverage expansion. The one-month return of Guardant Health, Inc. was 9.26%, while its shares traded between $53.40 and $176.58 over the last 52 weeks. On August 14, 2026, Guardant Health, Inc. stock closed at approximately $157.21 per share, with a market capitalization of about $21.68 billion.
Guardant Health Revenue Grew 48% on Rising Adoption of Cancer Tests
Guardant Health saw its revenue grow 48% year-over-year in the first quarter, driven by continued adoption of its Guardant360 cancer treatment selection test and accelerating uptake of the Shield colorectal cancer blood test, according to Baron Health Care Fund's second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The fund noted that Guardant360 continues to gain share in the liquid biopsy market, with momentum accelerating after FDA approval of the new Guardant360 Liquid CDx assay, which should qualify for Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory Test status and meaningfully expand average selling prices. Shield has the potential to drive meaningful upside as adoption beats expectations, and the American Cancer Society recently recommended Shield in its updated colorectal cancer screening guidelines, significantly increasing the potential for expanded commercial insurance coverage. Looking ahead, the fund sees Guardant360, Shield, and Reveal positioning the company to achieve positive free cash flow over time. Guardant Health shares closed at $159.79 on August 4, 2026, with a market capitalization of $21.44 billion and a 52-week gain of 258.35%.
Guardant Health hits 52-week high after raising full-year revenue outlook
Guardant Health shares surged nearly 10% to a new 52-week high after the company reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $335 million, beating consensus by $20.6 million, and raised its full-year revenue guidance. The company now expects full-year revenue between $1.34 billion and $1.36 billion, up from a prior range of $1.30 billion to $1.32 billion and ahead of the $1.31 billion consensus. Oncology portfolio revenue grew 38% year-over-year to $29.1 million, while screening revenue reached $52.9 million with nearly 66,000 Shield tests delivered, compared with $14.8 million and 16,000 tests a year earlier. Non-GAAP net loss widened about 2% to $56.2 million, and adjusted net loss per share fell roughly 5% to $0.42, missing estimates by $0.03. Analysts from Canaccord Genuity and Leerink Partners maintained bullish ratings, citing strong volume growth and calling Guardant the best-in-class liquid biopsy play.
Alger Small Cap Focus Fund says Guardant Health contributed positively in Q2
Alger Small Cap Focus Fund highlighted Guardant Health as a positive contributor in its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The fund noted that Guardant Health shares advanced after the company raised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance, the Shield blood test was included in updated colorectal cancer screening guidelines, and Guardant360 CDx received regulatory approval as a companion diagnostic for Boehringer Ingelheim's Hernexeos. Guardant Health closed at $148.07 per share on July 20, 2026, with a one-month return of 13.18% and a 52-week gain of 220.15%, giving it a market capitalization of $19.63 billion. The company reported $302 million in revenue for the first quarter of 2026, representing 48% year-over-year growth.
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Diagnostics & Precision Testing ▲Regulation
GH · Demand · Positive Raised full-year revenue guidance and Shield blood test included in colorectal cancer screening guidelines, indicating increased product demand.
GH · Regulation · Positive Guardant360 CDx received regulatory approval as companion diagnostic for Boehringer Ingelheim's Hernexeos.
Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH · Regulation · Positive Guardant360 CDx approval as companion diagnostic for Boehringer Ingelheim's Hernexeos supports its drug's commercialization.
S&P 500 Futures Edge Higher as US Inflation Pressure Eases
US stock futures are pointing slightly higher this morning as investors weigh softer US inflation against rising global interest rate worries. The US 10-year Treasury yield has eased to about 4.52% after cooler price data, helping reduce pressure on borrowing costs for households and companies. Import prices rose 0.3% in June instead of falling, a reminder that the cost of goods coming into the country is still pushing prices up. With the Federal Reserve expected to keep rates on hold today, the big question is whether rate-sensitive sectors such as housing, banks and real estate can handle both lingering inflation and higher long-term borrowing costs. Among top movers, Global Payments jumped 5.85% after a Morgan Stanley upgrade and higher price target, Alibaba Group Holding gained 4.67% as investors focused on its AI partnerships and new model preview, and Credo Technology Group Holding rose 4.63% following a Barclays price target increase ahead of Q2 earnings. On the losing side, Bloom Energy fell 8.33% as traders reacted to recent weakness and commentary on project delays, Guardant Health declined 5.00% after a recent price target raise failed to support the stock, and Carvana declined 4.75%. US trading is set to be earnings heavy, with major reports spanning tech, autos, housing, financials and transport, including Alphabet on Wednesday, Tesla on Wednesday, AT&T and T-Mobile US on Wednesday and Thursday, D.R. Horton and PulteGroup on Tuesday and Wednesday, and CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific through Thursday.
Guardant Shield Blood Test Coverage Expanded for UnitedHealth Group Members Aged 45 and Over
Guardant Health announced that its Shield blood test for colorectal cancer screening is now covered for eligible UnitedHealth Group members aged 45 and over, extending access to roughly 40 million people in employer, individual and Medicare-related plans. The move highlights UnitedHealth Group's role in broadening access to newer cancer screening technologies, potentially reshaping how its members manage preventive care and early detection. UnitedHealth Group reaffirmed its 2025 full year guidance of more than US$439,000 million in revenue and over US$24,000 million in operating earnings, providing a reference point for how such additions might be absorbed within its large cost and revenue base.
Guardant Health stock surges on UnitedHealth blood test coverage
Guardant Health shares surged after UnitedHealth Group agreed to cover Shield, the company's blood-based colorectal cancer test, as a first-line screening option for millions of members aged 45 and older. Bernstein SocGen Group raised its price target on Guardant to $200 from $175, maintaining an Outperform rating, and nearly doubled its 2030 Shield revenue estimate to about $1.5 billion. The UnitedHealth decision gives Guardant access to roughly 10 million newly reimbursed customers, and analysts expect other commercial insurers to follow within quarters. Shield is a blood test for average-risk adults 45 and older, offering an alternative to colonoscopies and stool-based kits. Guardant also recently gained FDA approval for an expanded Guardant360 Liquid CDx panel and saw Shield added to American Cancer Society screening guidelines.
Quest Diagnostics wins nationwide Haystack MRD access and expands into psychiatry
Quest Diagnostics received New York State approval for its Haystack MRD liquid biopsy test, enabling nationwide use for detecting residual or recurrent cancer. The approval follows published research indicating the test's high sensitivity for minimal residual disease monitoring. Quest Diagnostics also entered a national partnership with Attunio Health to support an AI-powered precision psychiatry platform, providing scalable laboratory infrastructure for mental health diagnostics across the United States. The Haystack MRD test now has regulatory clearance across all 50 states and clinical backing from major centers such as Memorial Sloan Kettering and City of Hope, positioning Quest to compete more directly with other cancer monitoring players like Guardant Health and Exact Sciences. On the mental health side, serving as the lab backbone for an AI-powered precision psychiatry platform gives Quest a role in turning biological markers into routine psychiatric decision support, an area where competitors such as Labcorp and Mayo Clinic Laboratories are also active.
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Diagnostics & Precision Testing ▲Regulation
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Tools, Diagnostics & CDMO ▲Demand
DGX · Regulation · Positive New York State approval enables nationwide use of Haystack MRD test.
DGX · Demand · Positive Partnership with Attunio Health for AI-powered precision psychiatry platform expands into mental health diagnostics.
Attunio Health · Demand · Positive National partnership with Quest provides scalable lab infrastructure for Attunio's AI precision psychiatry platform.
GH · Competition · Negative Quest's Haystack MRD approval positions it to compete more directly with Guardant Health in cancer monitoring.
LH · Competition · Negative Quest's entry into mental health diagnostics competes with Labcorp's active presence in that area.
Guardant Health Shares Jump 6% After FDA Approval for Liquid Biopsy Test
Shares of Guardant Health rose 6.1% in morning trading after the company received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for its Guardant360 CDx liquid biopsy test as a companion diagnostic for a specific type of lung cancer. The approval, for the largest liquid biopsy panel of its kind, prompted Mizuho to raise its price target to $175 and RBC Capital to initiate coverage with an Outperform rating. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $138.68 per share, reflecting growing investor confidence following 39.6% revenue growth.
StockStory Flags Three Russell 2000 Stocks as Cautious Picks
StockStory highlights three Russell 2000 stocks it approaches with caution: Spectrum Brands, Guardant Health, and Comstock Resources. Spectrum Brands, with a $1.94 billion market cap, faces sluggish projected sales growth of 1.9% and below-average returns on capital. Guardant Health, valued at $17.36 billion, has a subscale $1.08 billion revenue base and negative EBITDA, raising concerns about sustainable shareholder value. Comstock Resources, at a $3.87 billion market cap, saw its EBITDA margin decline by 6.1 percentage points over five years and generates negative free cash flow.
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