Aetna Inc. AET, -2.sixty three% is nearing a deal to purchase Humana Inc. HUM, -2.ninety two% in line with people acquainted with the matter, in a tie-up of health insurers that may be introduced this week.
The people mentioned a deal will be inked as quickly as Thursday night time, although they counseled the timing could slip.
With Humana’s market price at $ 28.9 billion as of Thursday’s market close, a takeover of the Louisville, Ky. insurer would mark the most recent megamerger in a year on the right track to succeed in historical M&A volumes.
A takeover way for Humana past this 12 months thrust the largest health-insurance companies right into a five-means merger frenzy. Cigna Corp. CI, -zero.46% and Aetna had been vying to buy Humana, whereas trying to rebuff takeover techniques of their own. Cigna has been in talks with Anthem Inc. ANTM, -1.26% , and UnitedHealth group Inc. UNH, -1.27% previous approached Aetna.
A deal to purchase Humana would vault Aetna towards the top of the burgeoning Medicare industry and provides it scale to thrive as the trade consolidates.
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