Moody's affirms WellPoint

Moody's Investors Service said it affirmed WellPoint, Inc.'s Baa1 senior unsecured debt rating and the A1 insurance financial strength ratings of its operating subsidiaries following the release of 2011 fourth-quarter earnings and 2012 guidance.

The outlook remains stable.

The ratings reflect WellPoint's strong business profile driven by its national presence, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield brand name and its leading market position in most of the states in which it operates, Moody's said.

The ratings also are supported by a solid financial profile characterized by its consistent earnings performance, good level of capitalization and moderate financial leverage, the agency said.

Those factors are offset somewhat by the large amount of goodwill and intangible assets on the balance sheet, Moody's said.

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