HLTH Emdeon Raises 4Q View,Sees 06 EPS At Low-End Of Guidance, raise guidance beat the market consensus EPS.
12-16-05 09:11 AM EST
ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. -(Dow Jones)- Emdeon Corp. (HLTH) raised its fourth-quarter earnings guidance but reiterated that it expects 2006 revenue and earnings will be at the lower end of its prior forecast, due to weakness in the business services unit.
In a press release Friday, the health-care services company formerly known as WebMD said it expects income before taxes, noncash and other items for the fourth quarter will be about 1 cent to 2 cents higher than previously projected, primarily due to lower-than-anticipated compensation and benefit expenses.
Emdeon expects fourth-quarter earnings between 6 cents and 7 cents a share, including the loss of 1 cent a share from an outstanding tender offer. Excluding taxes and other times, the company expects earnings of 14 cents to 16 cents a share for the quarter.
On average, nine analysts polled by Thomson First Call expect fourth-quarter earnings of 13 cents a share.
Emdeon backed its fourth-quarter revenue projections of $320 million to $330 million, which brackets Wall Street's average estimate of $326.6 million.
In the year-ago quarter, the company earned $19.7 million, or 6 cents a share, on revenue of $307.6 million. Before items, earnings were 14 cents a share.
In premarket trading on Inet, Emdeon's shares were trading at $8.10, up 18 cents, or 2.3%, from Thursday's closing price of $7.92.
For 2006, Emdeon previously forecast earnings of $90 million to $105 million, or 24 share to 28 cents a share, on revenue of $1.36 billion to $1.41 billion. Excluding taxes and items, the company expects to earn 58 to 66 cents a share.
It reaffirmed that it expects earnings and revenue at the lower end of this guidance.
On average, analysts expect 2006 earnings of $225.8 million, or 60 cents a share, on revenue of $1.37 billion.
Emdeon also said that due to Chief Executive Kevin Cameron's health condition, the board will "actively engage" in succession planning for his position.
Cameron is expected to continue as chief executive until this process is complete, which should occur within the next three to four months, the company said.
Emdeon's former president, Tony G. Holcombe, resigned Dec. 2 to pursue other business opportunities. Holcombe also served as president of the business- services unit, which was to report directly to Cameron after Holcombe's departure.
When Holcombe's resignation was announced in a November release, Cameron said he was undergoing a series of treatments to better manage his health following " a serious health condition several years ago."
A company spokesman wasn't immediately available to give more detail on Cameron's condition, or how it would affect the business-services unit.