CVS Health is in Talks to Buy Aetna

CVS Health Corp. is in talks to buy Aetna Inc., according to people familiar with the matter, in a deal that could value the health insurer at upward of $66 billion.

CVS Health has made a proposal to buy Aetna for more than $200 per share, one of the people said. On Thursday afternoon, before The Wall Street Journal reported news of the talks, shares of Aetna were trading at $160.62 each.

Aetna shares initially shot up more than 10% on the report, giving it a market value of some $58 billion.

In 2015, Aetna agreed to buy rival insurer Humana Inc. for $34 billion, but the deal fell apart amid regulatory opposition.

Write to Dana Mattioli at dana.mattioli@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 26, 2017 16:20 ET (20:20 GMT)