For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 20, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Aetna Inc. (AET), UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH), WellPoint Inc. (WLP), Assurant Inc. (AIZ) and Cigna Corp. (CI).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

Aetna Axes Jobs

In a bid to become more efficient, the health insurer Aetna Inc. (AET) announced on Wednesday its intention to shed a total of 1,250 jobs or about 3.5% of its total workforce by the first quarter of 2010. Management intends to do so

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In a bid to become more efficient, the health insurer Aetna Inc. (AET) announced on Wednesday its intention to shed a total of 1,250 jobs or about 3.5% of its total workforce by the first quarter of 2010. Management intends to do so in two phases, by slashing 625 jobs now and the remaining early next year.  The company expects to record after-tax restructuring charges of $40 million in fourth quarter 2009. Last December, the company cut 1,000 jobs, which was 3% of its total workforce. The company plans to slash majority of the jobs at its headquarters in Connecticut .  Aetna with a total head count of 35,500 is eliminating jobs to cope with the difficult economic environment and potential impact that the health care reform might cast on its health insurance business. Elimination of excess workforce will help streamline the business by optimizing staffing ...

Coventry Health Care, Inc. (CVH) reported third quarter earnings of 66 cents per share, which was above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 54 cents. The company earned 73 cents in the year-ago quarter. Total operating revenues for the reported quarter increased 17.8% to $3.44 billion from the previous year's $2.92 billion.  Revenues from managed care premiums rose 20% to $3.15 billion, while revenues from management services decreased to $290.9 million from $298.4 million a year earlier. Due to reduced commercial risk and commercial management membership, total enrollment in Coventry plans increased 0.55% to 5.24 million members, mainly on gains in the Medicare D prescription drug program. The membership in that program increased 81,000 from the prior quarter. Total operating expenses for the quarter came in at $3.29 billion, up 18.6% from the year ago quarter. Medical costs, the major operating expense component, rose to $2.66 ...

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GD, PSFT, PWRM, UNH, CSRH, IBM, CVAT, ADBE, AQNM, CRM

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GD, General Dynamics Corp.

General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of GD, is a leading integrator of secure communication and information systems and technology.

General Dynamics C4 Systems has been awarded a $50 million contract to supply the U.S. Army with comprehensive engineering and logistics-support services to help ensure that Land Warrior integrated modular fighting systems currently used in combat are kept in operational condition for soldiers. The contract also includes maintaining ensembles used for training and those returning from theater. The one-year contract is

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A tepid report on housing starts sent stocks into a tizzy and major indexes slipped from their year highs as solid earnings reports from Apple Inc. to Caterpillar were overlooked by anxious investors.  A rebound in dollar from its 14-month lows also added to the downward pressure and hurt commodities, sending energy and material shares lower. 

Weakness in share sent Treasury prices higher, with the 10-year closing up 13/32, to 102 11/32.  The yield fell to 3.34%, from 3.39% late Monday.  On Tuesday, the 30-stock Dow Jones industrial average fell 50.71 points, or 0.50%, to 10,041.48.  The broad Standard & Poor's 500-stock index retreated 6.85 points, or 0.62%, at 1,091.06 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index lost 12.85 points, or 0.59%, to 2,163.47.  Market breadth was negative.  On the New York Stock Exchange, declining shares beat those that rose in price two to one on volume of 1.24 billion

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 21, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Biogen Idec (BIIB), Elan (ELN), UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH), Forest Laboratories, Inc. (FRX) and Cypress Biosciences (CYPB).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Tuesday’s AnalystBlog:

Biogen Reports Higher Earnings

Today morning, Biogen Idec (BIIB) reported third quarter earnings per share of $1.12, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.02. The company reported earnings of 98 cents in the year-ago period. Revenues increased 3% to $1.12 billion, with Tysabri being the primary growth

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UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) third quarter earnings came in at 89 cents per share, ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 76 cents. The earnings showed an improvement over the prior year EPS of 75 cents per share mainly due to an uptick in net earnings. As reported by the company, earnings from operations (EBIT) were $1.5 billion and net earnings were $1.0 billion, an increase from $1.4 billion and $0.9 billion, respectively, in the prior-year quarters. Operating margin of 7.7% remained stable on a year over year basis. Operating costs increased to $20.0 billion from $18.6 billion last year. The consolidated medical care ratio remained within the range of management expectations at 82.0%, up 30 basis points year over year. The increase includes the mix effect of an increased proportion of public and senior markets risk-based business year over year, as well as from elevated ...

Stocks meandered at the start as uncertainty over the quarterly results this week kept investors from building positions.  Jittery investors, wanting to see more sings of an economic revival, sold off financial stocks after influential analyst Meredith Whitney downgraded shares of Goldman Sachs.  Whitney also lowered her earnings outlook for Bank of America and Citigroup.  Although late morning saw some strength, stocks struggled to stay afloat and ended the day mixed.   

Gains in commodity prices helped some mid-session buying in energy and material shares but the overall weakness in financial and healthcare stocks kept sentiment in check.  Shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH) and Aetna Inc. (NYSE:AET) fell more than 3% as the Senate Finance Committee approved an $829 billion plan to overhaul the U.S. health system.  Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) fell 2.4% after the company reported revenue that was below the Street expectations.  However, the company reported higher

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Recently, Humana Military Healthcare Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Humana Inc. (HUM), announced the availability of an additional benefit for the beneficiaries of the TRICARE program (a medical program under the Department of Defense) in the South Region.  Humana Military Healthcare Services offers health insurance coverage under the TRICARE program to the dependents of active duty military personnel and retired military personnel coupled with their dependents. Humana Military has been a contractor of the Department of Defense for the administration of the TRICARE program since Jul 1, 1996.  The new benefit provides the families of soldiers enrolled in the TRICARE program access to a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Management Program. They will be able to call a dedicated registered nurse and receive education and coaching on how to deal with this lung disease which blocks airflow thereby resulting in breathing difficulties.  Humana started ...

Recently Humana Inc. (HUM) announced that its Medicare coverage in 3 California countries is expanding. Members eligible for Medicare in Fresno , San Bernardino and Riverside can enroll in a Humana Gold Plus health maintenance organization (HMO) plan. Coverage would be effective from Jan. 1, 2010.  The expansion has been approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The gold plus plan acts as a supplemental coverage to Medicare. Members can choose a primary care physician in the plan network.  The other benefits of the plan include no or low monthly plan premiums, low co-payments for visits to doctors and annual routine physicals, coverage for most annual screenings at no charge, and worldwide emergency coverage. The persons opting for this plan will enjoy discounts on vision and hearing care, prescriptions, and complimentary and alternative medicine.  The period for enrollment to the Humana Gold ...