We could not find any results for:
Make sure your spelling is correct or try broadening your search.
Share Name | Share Symbol | Market | Type |
---|---|---|---|
Aetna Inc. (delisted) | NYSE:AET | NYSE | Common Stock |
Price Change | % Change | Share Price | High Price | Low Price | Open Price | Shares Traded | Last Trade | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0.00 | 0.00% | 212.70 | 0 | 01:00:00 |
CHICAGO, Aug. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- 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: Shoe Carnival Inc. (Nasdaq: SCVL), Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), CIGNA Corporation (NYSE: CI), Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET) and UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH).
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101027/ZIRLOGO)
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 Friday's Analyst Blog:
Shoe Carnival's 2Q Disappoints
Shoe Carnival Inc. (Nasdaq: SCVL) recently posted second quarter 2011 earnings of 20 cents per share, well below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 30 cents and the year-earlier quarter earnings of 32 cents per share. The company delivered poor quarterly earnings mainly due to a decline in traffic at stores.
Net sales inched up 0.8% year over year to $166.7 million during the quarter. Comparable store sales (comps) fell 1.1% in the quarter versus 8.3% increase in the year-ago quarter. The downside in comps was attributable to unfavorable weather conditions in many of Shoe Carnival's markets during the quarter.
During the quarter, gross margin contracted 50 basis points (bps) to 27.8% due to flat merchandise margin, partly offset by a 0.5% spike in buying, distribution and occupancy costs. Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased 3.7% year over year to $42.3 million. As a percentage of net sales, SG&A escalated 60 bps to 25.3%, due to lower comparable sales growth.
Humana to Acquire Arcadian
Yesterday Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) announced that it will purchase Arcadian Management Services, a Medicare Advantage health maintenance organization that has members in 15 U.S. states. However, the financial and other terms of purchase remain undisclosed. The acquisition is expected to complete by the end of the year, after obtaining the approval of U.S. federal and state regulators.
Arcadian is a California-based privately held organization established in 1996 and specializes in providing high-quality health care services to its members, most of whom dwell in small and medium-sized communities. The company provides Medicare coverage to about 64,000 people and reported total revenue of $622 million in 2010.
On the other hand, Humana earned $33.87 billion in revenues in 2010, which is more than 5 times the total revenue of Arcadian. Humana is actively working on expanding its size, not just through acquisitions, but also by increasing its employee base.
On Monday, the company had announced its plan to employ 300 new registered nurses, social workers and community health educators in its Humana Cares division by the end of this fall. Additionally, in July this year, the company had announced its plan to hire 200 full-time employees, including customer care specialists and front-line supervisors, at its national Medicare service operations center in Tampa.
While the current-year income of Humana will not be significantly affected by the acquisition, the deal is expected to increase its earnings in the coming years as it will expand the Medicare business of the company. Humana is a leader in insurance and healthcare industry, which has other major players like CIGNA Corporation (NYSE: CI), Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET) and UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH).
Humana carries a Zacks #1 Rank, which translates into a Strong Buy rating for the short-term.
On Wednesday, the shares of the company closed at $70.79, down 2.59%, on the New York Stock Exchange.
Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5515.
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leon Zacks. As a PhD from MIT Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.
Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts
Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
http://www.zacks.com
SOURCE Zacks Investment Research, Inc.
Copyright 2011 PR Newswire
1 Year Aetna Chart |
1 Month Aetna Chart |
It looks like you are not logged in. Click the button below to log in and keep track of your recent history.
Support: +44 (0) 203 8794 460 | support@advfn.com
By accessing the services available at ADVFN you are agreeing to be bound by ADVFN's Terms & Conditions