They brought in great earnings.
It is those trends that are bothering people. The (premium) pricing trends and (medical) cost trends have spooked investors.
I think he's saying to ING ... that we have other places that we can go -- not that they have seriously responded to other inquiries.
I doubt that the ING talks are falling apart. I have the feeling that all of this is part of the negotiations. That doesn't mean that ING is going to be the acquirer, but I doubt that they've gone away.
We should point out that significant legal hurdles face the plaintiffs before they could prevail in these cases. Many of the agreements between the managed care companies and the physicians require arbitration and this could defuse the class actions ... However, we believe current HMO valuations assume these lawsuits will be dismissed out of hand. This is unlikely.
Despite its best efforts, HCA hospitals experienced weaker profitable admissions, intensifying local competition, higher operating costs and fast-rising uninsured patient volumes. HCA's fourth-quarter performance showcases the hospital industry's increasingly turbulent and tumultuous environment.
It's hard not to be confused about trends at the company.
Aetna's fourth-quarter earnings demonstrate that this rejuvenated national franchise continues to win the enrollment race.
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