Aetna reaffirms lower outlook
Written on March 13, 2008
Aetna Inc. said Tuesday it still anticipates 2008 profit will come in below Wall Street’s expectations.
The managed care provider maintained its full-year earnings forecast at $4 per share on medical membership growth between 800,000 and 850,000, and its first-quarter adjusted profit outlook of 92 cents per share.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expect slightly higher 2008 net income of $4.04 per share, and quarterly earnings of 97 cents per share.
Late Monday, fellow Aetna (AET, Fortune 500) health insurer WellPoint Inc http://payday-faxless.com. (WLP, Fortune 500) cut its 2008 outlook, citing higher-than-expected medical costs, lower fully insured enrollment and a weak economy.
Filed in: economics.