UnitedHealth 4Q Earnings More Than Doubled

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(AP) -- UnitedHealth Group's earnings more than doubled in the final quarter of 2017, and the nation's largest insurer hiked its forecast for the new year due in part to a gain from the federal tax overhaul.

UnitedHealth now expects adjusted earnings of $12.30 to $12.60 per share in 2018, up from its initial forecast for $10.55 to $10.85 per share.

FactSet says analysts forecast earnings of $11.44 per share.

UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s fourth-quarter earnings climbed to $3.62 billion, as total revenue climbed over 9 percent to $52.06 billion. Adjusted earnings came in at $2.59 per share, excluding the tax overhaul gain.

Analysts expected $2.51 per share on $51.54 billion in revenue for the Minnetonka, Minnesota, company, which is the first big insurer to report results every quarter.