INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Humana Inc. gave investors more signs that some insurers will be able to handle the health care overhaul's latest restrictions when it announced a new quarterly dividend and better-than-expected first-quarter results on Tuesday.

The Louisville, Ky., health insurer said it will start offering a 25-cent quarterly cash dividend this summer, and it earned $1.86 per share in 2011′s first quarter. The performance topped Humana's previous forecast of $1.15 to $1.20 per share and came in much higher than Wall Street expectations.

Analysts surveyed by FactSet had expected, on average, earnings per share of $1.26 for the first quarter.

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