The BusinessWeek 50 Ranking
35
WellPoint
By pulling together Blue Cross or Blue Shield health networks from 13 states, WellPoint has fashioned itself into the country's biggest health insurer, serving nearly 28 million members. It sprang from the merger in November, 2004, of two regional powerhouses, California's WellPoint Health Networks and Anthem, based in Indianapolis. The $16.5 billion deal faced some costly delays as WellPoint had to agree to spend millions to expand health care for the poor and uninsured. Still, the combined company posted 24% gains in both earnings and sales last year.
Company Info
| 2004 Rank | 3 |
| STOCK INFO | WLP |
| Market Value | $16.9 BILLION |
| Total Return | (1-yr.) 42.0%
(3-yr.) 110.1% |
| 2004 sales | $20.8 BILLION |
| Sales Growth | (1-yr.) 24%
(3-yr.) 26.0% |
| Net income | $960.1 MILLION |
| Net Income Growth | (1-yr.) 24%
(3-yr.) 41.0% |
| Net Margin* | 4.6% |
| Return on Equity* | 4.9% |
| Industry | HEALTH-CARE EQUIPMENT & SERVICES |
| CORPORATE WEB SITE | |
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*Trailing 12 months
Company data as of 2/28/05 provided by Standard & Poor's Compustat
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Company Snapshot
WellPoint, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a health benefits company in the United States. It serves as an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin; and through HealthLink and UniCare. The company provides a range of benefits and services to health plan customers, including pharmacy benefit management, group life and disability insurance benefits, dental, workers’ compensation, and long-term care insurance. WellPoint also provides vision and behavioral health benefits. In addition, the company offers administration of government health benefits programs. It provides health care benefits to approximately 28 million people. The company was formed in November 2004 as a result of merger between Anthem, Inc. and WellPoint Health Networks, Inc. WellPoint is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.
No. of Employees
NA
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