INVESTOR ALERT: The Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces the Filing of a Securities Class Action on Behalf of Aetna Inc. Investors and Encourages Investors to Contact the Firm

Business Wire

BENSALEM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased Aetna Inc. (“Aetna” or the “Company”) (NYSE: AET) securities between August 15, 2016 and January 20, 2017, inclusive (the “Class Period”). Aetna investors have until March 27, 2017 to file a lead plaintiff motion.

Investors suffering losses on their Aetna investments are encouraged to contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss their legal rights in this class action at 888-638-4847 or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com.

In August of 2016, Aetna announced to investors that it expected a merger with Humana, another health insurance provider, to be completed by the end of the year. The proposed merger however was challenged by federal regulators as anticompetitive.

The Complaint filed in this class action lawsuit alleges that throughout the class period, Aetna made false and/or misleading statements regarding its participation in public health insurance exchanges: (1) Aetna and its senior executives attempted to leverage Aetna's participation in the Public Exchanges for favorable treatment from regulators regarding the Humana acquisition; (2) Aetna threatened to limit its participation in public health insurance exchanges if the Department of Justice ("DOJ") attempted to block the merger; (3) Aetna did not withdraw from certain public health insurance exchanges for business reasons as Defendants claimed, but to follow through on its threat of leaving the marketplace once the DOJ filed suit and to improve its litigation position; (4) Aetna withdrew from public health insurance exchanges that were profitable for Aetna; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' statements about Aetna's business, operations, and prospects were false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

If you purchased shares of Aetna during the Class Period you may move the Court no later than March 27, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff if you meet certain legal requirements. To be a member of the Class you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the Class. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com, or visit our website at http://www.howardsmithlaw.com.

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