Market Update (NYSE:AET): Aetna, Humana map legal strategy to salvage merger

[Reuters] – Health insurer Aetna Inc (AET.N), whose $33 billion purchase of Humana Inc (HUM.N) has been spurned by the U.S. government, faces a tough but not impossible legal battle to try to reinstate the deal. Aetna vowed to fight “to the very end” after the Department of Justice filed suit earlier on Thursday to block the merger, which had been in the works for more than a year. Antitrust reviewers say the combination will hurt consumers and the companies’ proposed fix – selling some health plans to a competitor – is insufficient. Read more on this. , valued at $recting to http://finance.ya, ended trading yesterday at $. Today’s price range has been between $ per share and has traded between $ over the past year. Priced at x this year’s forecasted earnings, AET shares are relatively inexpensive compared to the industry’s x forward p/e ratio. In a review of the consensus earnings estimate this quarter, 0 sell-side analysts are looking at $ per share, which would be $0.00 worse than the year-ago quarter and a $0.00 sequential decrease. The full-year EPS estimate is $ which would be a $0.00 worse than last year’s full-year earnings. The quarterly earnings estimate is predicated on a consensus revenue forecast of $0.00 . If reported, that would be a 0.00% decrease over the year-ago quarter. Recently, d AET from to (/fi). Previously, d AET from to . The average price target for AET shares by the analysts covering the stock is $, which is 0.00% below where the stock opened this morning. See more in (NYSE:AET) Similar Articles: Market Update: Aetna Inc (NYSE:AET) – U.S. antitrust officials set to challenge Anthem, Aetna deals – source Stock Update: Aetna Inc (NYSE:AET) – Humana shares drop on report of DOJ meeting over Aetna deal Stock Update: Aetna Inc (NYSE:AET) – Illinois insurance regulator approves Aetna purchase of Humana