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NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by Ridgewater Equity (RWE).

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The industry's profit growth sharply outpaced the rest of Corporate America the past 10 years, a trend unlikely to change any time soon even if Congress passes the overhaul now on Capitol Hill, experts say.

By Ryan VlastelicaNEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Thursday, with all major indexes down more than 1 percent on weakness in the technology and health insurance sectors.Semiconductor stocks sank after Bank of America-Merrill Lynch cut its 2010 growth outlook for the industry, citing the potential for a correction...

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).

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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 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 level, thereby maintaining efficiency.

During the third quarter of 2009, Aetna earned $326.2 million, or 73 cents per share. That represents an increase from $277.3 million, or 58 cents per share, in the same quarter last year. Membership has slumped throughout the health insurance sector as employers have cut jobs, reducing the number of people covered by employer-sponsored plans.

Aetna rivals UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) and WellPoint Inc. (WLP) both recently saw enrollment declines in the third quarter. Last week, Assurant Health, a division of Assurant Inc. (AIZ) announced that it has slashed 94 jobs. Earlier during the year, peers Cigna Corp. (CI) cut 1,100 jobs and Wellpoint Inc. eliminated nearly 1,500 jobs.

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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 [...]

($AET) Aetna Costs Costs by Slashing 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 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 level, thereby maintaining efficiency. 

During the third quarter of 2009, Aetna earned $326.2 million, or 73 cents per share. That represents an increase from $277.3 million, or 58 cents per share, in the same quarter last year. Membership has slumped through out the health insurance sector as employers have cut jobs, reducing the number of people covered by employer-sponsored plans. 

Aetna rivals UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) and WellPoint Inc. (WLP) both recently saw enrollment declines in the third quarter. Last week, Assurant Health, a division of Assurant Inc. (AIZ) announced that it has slashed 94 jobs. Earlier during the year, peers Cigna Corp (CI) cut 1,100 jobs and Wellpoint Inc. eliminated nearly 1,500 jobs.
Read the full analyst report on "AET"
Read the full analyst report on "CI"
Read the full analyst report on "AIZ"
Read the full analyst report on "WLP"
Read the full analyst report on "UNH"
Zacks Investment Research

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The health insurance stocks listed below may experience some extra volatility this week, as President Obama is scheduled to address the nation about health care reform on Wednesday, September 9. After months of speeches, interviews and town hall meetings, this Wednesday, the President will tell Congress and the American people something they haven't heard before: exactly what he wants to see in health care reform. As White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told the press, "people will leave that speech knowing where he stands." That may answer whether President Obama will insist on the controversial "public option," a government-provided health insurance alternative. The White House was still avoiding directly answering that question today. "He believes the public option is a good tool," White House adviser David Axelrod said today. "It shouldn't define the whole health care debate, however." A September 15 deadline for a bipartisan deal on health care reform is looming. The deadline was set by Democratic Senator Max Baucus of Montana, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Six members of the committee - three Democrats and three Republicans - have been trying to negotiate a bipartisan health reform bill. However, Baucus has said he would pull the plug on the talks "around September 15." Presidential aides have promised Obama will take back the reins after allowing Congress to work its will on his idea, without one specific plan for Democratic lawmakers to defend back home. We’re entering a new season,” senior adviser David Axelrod said in an interview Tuesday. “It’s time to synthesize and harmonize these strands and get this done. We’re confident that we can do that. But obviously it is a different phase. We’re going to approach it in a different way. The president is going to be very active.”

“We have been saying all along that the most important part of this debate is not the public option, but rather ensuring choice and competition,” an aide said. “There are lots of different ways to get there.”

Some of the stocks to keep an eye on include:

Aetna Inc. (NYSE:AET) UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH) Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT)WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE:WLP) Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM)CIGNA Corporation (NYSE:CI)WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE:WCG)Coventry Health Care, Inc. (NYSE:CVH)Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT)

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