Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Aetna Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc., WellPoint Inc., Assurant Inc. and Cigna Corp

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

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