Health insurance provider Humana (HUM -1.77%) reported third-quarter results today before the markets opened, showing that it posted consolidated revenues of $10.32 billion, a 7% increase from the same period in the previous year, and just ahead of the $10.28 billion Capital IQ consensus estimate.
While net income came in at $368 million, or $2.31 per share, down 14% from $426 million, or $2.62 per share, in the same period in 2012, it was $0.14-per-share better than the CapIQ estimates of $2.17 per share.
Humana says its consolidated benefit ratio, which is benefits expense as a percent of premiums, increased because of unfavorable weekday seasonality and unfavorable changes in the seasonal prescription drug utilization pattern due to an influx of low-income beneficiaries who have higher utilization rates.
The health insurance provider expects full-year earnings to be in the range of $8.65 to $8.75 per share on revenues of $40.75 billion to $41.25 billion, mostly in-line with analyst expectations that Humana will post earnings of $8.73 per share on revenues of $$41.31 billion.
