Oscar Health (OSCR, Financial) has exploded nearly 60% this week, adding close to $2 billion in market cap without a single press release or earnings update. The real catalyst? A retail trading frenzy. OSCR became one of the most-mentioned names on r/WallStreetBets, and trading volume followed suit—nearly 50 million shares changed hands on Wednesday alone, the second-highest in the company's history. Options activity lit up as well, with call volumes hitting a record 152,414 that day, and another 95,000 contracts moving by Friday morning, nearly triple the norm.
Beneath the surge is a company with serious revenue momentum—up 48% in 2023 and 57% in 2024. Adjusted earnings per share reached $0.92 in Q1 2025. But Oscar isn't just selling insurance—it's selling a story. Management brands the company as a health-tech platform, powered by AI and run on what it calls a “continuous hackathon” model. That pitch, familiar to anyone who's followed high-multiple tech names, is likely helping Oscar catch a more generous valuation than traditional insurers. Retail traders appear to be buying into that promise.
Another factor? The Kushner connection. Joshua Kushner, vice chairman of Oscar's board and brother to Jared Kushner, has remained a prominent name in business and politics alike. That visibility might be adding an extra layer of speculation to the mix. But for now, the stock's movement is being driven more by momentum than fundamentals. Oscar is just $3 shy of its all-time high—and the retail crowd seems determined to carry it the rest of the way.
