Anthem Sees Higher FY17 Earnings, But Below Market View After Q4 Tops Estimates

(RTTNews) - Health benefit company Anthem, Inc. (ANTM) Wednesday said it expects fiscal 2017 net income to be greater than $11.11 per share, and adjusted net income to be greater than $11.50 per share.

In fiscal 2016, the company's reported net income per share were $9.21 and adjusted net income per share were $11.

On average, 20 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect earnings of $11.53 per share for the year. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

In its fourth quarter, net income was $368.4 million or $1.37 per share, compared to $180.9 million, or $0.68 per share a year ago. Adjusted net income was $1.76 per share, compared to $1.14 per share in the prior year quarter.

Operating revenue was approximately $21.5 billion, an increase of 7.3 percent from $20.0 billion in the prior year quarter.

Analysts expected earnings of $1.61 per share on revenues of $20.92 billion for the quarter.

Medical enrollment totaled approximately 39.9 million members at December 31, 2016, an increase of 3.4 percent, from 38.6 million at December 31, 2015.