UnitedHealth ups outlook for 2016MINNETONKA, Minn. — UnitedHealth hiked its 2016 forecast after a first quarter in which the nation’s largest health insurer topped Wall Street earnings expectations and its profit grew by 14 percent.The Minnetonka, Minnesota, company now expects annual adjusted earnings ranging from $7.75 to $7.95 per share. That’s up 15 cents from when it last reaffirmed its outlook in January.Analysts had been projecting earnings of $7.73 per share, according to FactSet.The company cited changes in an expected income tax rate and intangible amortization for the outlook increase.In the year’s first quarter, UnitedHealth’s net income climbed to $1.61 billion, from $1.41 billion, with adjusted earnings totaling $1.81 per share. That easily beat the per share earnings of $1.72 that Wall Street had expected, according to Zacks Investment Research.

Netflix tops HBO in original showsSAN FRANCISCO — Netflix’s race to make itself a leader in original programming is paying off. Last year it produced more exclusive shows, measured in hours, than HBO.But its aggressive expansion isn’t without cost; next month, it will raise prices for loyal subscribers, and it faces tougher competition from less expensive rivals.In 2015, Netflix put out 450 hours of its own shows and movies, compared to 401 from Time Warner’s HBO, according to numbers from both companies. This year, both Netflix and HBO promise roughly 600 hours of original material.