Shares of The Cigna Group (CI) rose to their highest level in more than a year a🔯fter the health insurance company posted better-than-expected results, raised its earnings guidance and boosted it🐼s dividend as it added pharmacy and medical plan customers.

Cigna reported fourth-quarter 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:earnings per share (EPS) of $6.79, with revenue increasing 11.7% to $51.11 billion. Both were above forecasts.

The c🌼ompany noted that sales at its phar🅰macy benefits division was up 12% to $40.52 billion, and sales at its health insurance unit gained 17% to $13.01 billion. The number of customers for its pharmacy benefits increased 5% to 98.6 million, while health insurance customers climbed 10% to 19.8 million.

Cigna’s medical care ratio, which measures the perc💎entage of premiums spent on insurance payout💃s, was 82.2%, less than anticipated.  

The company now predicts full-year revenue of at least $235 billion, exceeding estimates. It sees EPS of at least $28.25, more than its earlier prediction of $28, although still slightly below analysts' expectations. 

Cigna also announced it was raising its quarterly dividend from $1.23 to $1.40 per share to be paid March 21 to shareholders of record on𝓡 March 6.

Cigna shares were 5.8% higher at $325.27 at 11:50 a.m. ET, trading just below their all-time high set in December 2022.