WellChoice to Release Third Quarter 2005 Financial Results on Wednesday, October 26, 2005
October 04 2005 - 8:52AM
Business Wire
WellChoice, Inc. (NYSE: WC) will release its third quarter 2005
results after the market closes on Wednesday, October 26, 2005. The
company will also host a conference call and webcast later that
same day at 5:30 PM (EST) to review these results. The conference
call can be accessed domestically by dialing (800) 784-3697.
International participants dial (706) 643-1656. Please ask for
reference number 1145004 ten minutes prior to the start of the
call. An audio replay of the call will be available for seven days
following the conference call. To access the replay, please dial
(800) 642-1687 and enter reference number 1145004. International
callers can access the replay by dialing (706) 645-9291 and enter
reference number 1145004. Investors, analysts and the general
public are also invited to listen to the conference call over the
Internet by visiting WellChoice's web site at www.wellchoice.com.
Financial, statistical and other information, including GAAP
reconciliations, related to the conference call will be available
on the site. To listen to the webcast, please visit the WellChoice
web site at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the call to
download and install any necessary audio software. A webcast replay
will be available following the call. Individuals who listen to the
call and/or webcast are encouraged to read the company's filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
discussion of risk factors and WellChoice's historical results of
operations and financial condition in its 2004 Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 and its Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2005 and
for the three months ended June 30, 2005. About WellChoice
WellChoice, Inc. is the parent company of the largest health
insurer in the State of New York, based on PPO and HMO membership.
WellChoice, through its Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield subsidiaries,
has the exclusive right to use the Blue Cross and Blue Shield names
and marks in 10 downstate New York counties and one or both of
these names and marks in selected counties in upstate New York.
WellChoice offers a broad portfolio of products, including managed
care and traditional indemnity products, and has a varied customer
base including large group, middle-market and small group,
individual, and national accounts. Additional information on
WellChoice can be found at http://www.wellchoice.com. SAFE HARBOR
STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF
1995 This press release contains certain forward-looking
information about WellPoint, Inc. ("WellPoint"), WellChoice, Inc.
("WellChoice") and the combined company after completion of the
transactions that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for
"forward-looking statements" provided by the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are
statements that are not historical facts. Words such as
"expect(s)", "feel(s)", "believe(s)", "will", "may",
"anticipate(s)" and similar expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not
limited to, financial projections and estimates and their
underlying assumptions; statements regarding plans, objectives and
expectations with respect to future operations, products and
services; and statements regarding future performance. Such
statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, many of
which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of
WellPoint and WellChoice, that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the
forward-looking information and statements. These risks and
uncertainties include: those discussed and identified in public
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC")
made by WellPoint (formerly Anthem, Inc.), WellPoint Health
Networks Inc. ("WellPoint Health") and WellChoice; trends in health
care costs and utilization rates; our ability to secure sufficient
premium rate increases; competitor pricing below market trends of
increasing costs; increased government regulation of health
benefits and managed care; significant acquisitions or divestitures
by major competitors; introduction and utilization of new
prescription drugs and technology; a downgrade in our financial
strength ratings; litigation targeted at health benefits companies;
our ability to contract with providers consistent with past
practice; other potential uses of cash in the future that present
attractive alternatives to share repurchases; our ability to
achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in the
WellPoint Health merger within the expected time-frames or at all
and to successfully integrate our operations; such integration may
be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; revenues
following the transaction may be lower than expected; operating
costs, customer loss and business disruption, including, without
limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with
employees, customers, clients or suppliers, may be greater than
expected following the transaction; our ability to consummate
WellPoint's merger with WellChoice, to achieve expected synergies
and operating efficiencies in the merger within the expected
time-frames or at all; to meet expectations regarding repurchases
of shares of our common stock and to successfully integrate our
operations; such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming
or costly than expected; revenues following the transaction may be
lower than expected; operating costs, customer loss and business
disruption, including, without limitation, difficulties in
maintaining relationships with employees, customers, clients or
suppliers, may be greater than expected following the transaction;
the regulatory approvals required for the transaction may not be
obtained on the terms expected or on the anticipated schedule; our
ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and
accounting and tax treatments of the transaction and the value of
the transaction consideration; future bio-terrorist activity or
other potential public health epidemics; and general economic
downturns. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date
hereof. Neither WellPoint nor WellChoice undertakes any obligation
to republish revised forward-looking statements to reflect events
or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence
of unanticipated events. Readers are also urged to carefully review
and consider the various disclosures in WellPoint's and
WellChoice's various SEC reports, including but not limited to
Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004
and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the reporting periods of
2005. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT This
communication is being made in respect of the proposed merger
transaction involving WellPoint and WellChoice. In connection with
the proposed transaction, WellPoint and WellChoice will prepare a
registration statement on Form S-4, containing a proxy
statement/prospectus for the stockholders of WellChoice to be filed
with the SEC and each will be filing other documents regarding the
proposed transaction with the SEC as well. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING
OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND ANY
OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY
BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION
ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The final proxy
statement/prospectus will be mailed to WellChoice's stockholders.
Investors and security holders will be able to receive the
registration statement containing the proxy statement/prospectus
and other documents free of charge at the SEC's web site,
www.sec.gov, from WellPoint Investor Relations at 120 Monument
Circle, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204, or from WellChoice Investor
Relations at 11 West 42nd Street, New York, New York 10036.
PARTICIPANTS IN SOLICITATION WellPoint, WellChoice and their
directors and executive officers and other members of management
and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation
of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information
regarding WellPoint' s directors and executive officers is
available in WellPoint's proxy statement for its 2005 annual
meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 8,
2005, and information regarding WellChoice's directors and
executive officers is available in WellChoice's proxy statement for
its 2005 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with SEC
on March 28, 2005. Information regarding the persons who may, under
the rules of the SEC, be considered participants in the
solicitation of WellChoice stockholders in connection with the
proposed transaction will be set forth in the proxy
statement/prospectus when it is filed with the SEC.
Wellchoice (NYSE:WC)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024
Wellchoice (NYSE:WC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2023 to Jun 2024