Friday, May 29, 2015

UPDATE 1-Health insurer Humana considering selling itself - WSJ

<span id="midArticle_start"/>(Adds details, share movement)

<span id="midArticle_0"/>May 29 (Reuters) - Health insurer Humana Inc isconsidering selling itself and it has received indications oftakeover interest, the Wall Street Journal reported, citingsources familiar with the matter.

<span id="midArticle_1"/>Aetna Inc and Cigna Corp are among thepossible bidders for Humana, the Journal reported.

<span id="midArticle_2"/>Humana is working with Goldman Sachs on a potential sale,the Journal said. (on.wsj.com/1cnEfE6)

<span id="midArticle_3"/> <span class="first-article-divide"/>Humana, Aetna and Cigna could not be immediately reached forcomment.

<span id="midArticle_4"/> <span class="second-article-divide"/>Humana, which had a market value of $26.72 billion as ofThursday's close, specializes in Medicare health insurance anddrug plans for the elderly and disabled.

<span id="midArticle_5"/>Humana said in April that there was an unexpected pick-up inthe rate of hospital admissions late in March and April,sparking a sell-off in its own and other insurers' shares.

<span id="midArticle_6"/> <span class="third-article-divide"/>Humana's shares were up 18 percent at $210.50 on Fridayafternoon. The stock touched a record high of $211.18 earlier inthe day.

<span id="midArticle_7"/>Cigna's shares were up about 5 percent at $142.08, whileAetna's were up 2.3 percent at 119.07. (Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by KirtiPandey)

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