(Bloomberg) -- All six of the major health insurers topped Wall Street expectations in thesecond quarter as the industry distanced itself from turmoil inWashington.

Cigna Corp. was the final insurer in theStandard & Poor’s 500 Index to report on Friday. Its earningscame in higher than analysts anticipated and the company raised itsprofit outlook for the year.

For-profit health plans, among them UnitedHealth Group Inc., Aetna Inc. and HumanaInc., are benefiting from their decisions to largely retreat fromthe Affordable Care Act’s markets after postinglosses.

Their stocks have soared this year, even while the fate of thehealth law was in jeopardy in Washington.

Although Republicans’ latest effort to repeal Obamacare failedin the Senate last month, President Donald Trump has threatened tolet the health law collapse, and its future remains uncertain.

Centene Corp., the smallest of the S&P 500 health plans, isalso the best performing of the six this year with a 47 percentjump as of Thursday’s close. Anthem Inc. is second with a 33 percent gain,followed by Cigna, up 32 percent. Meanwhile the S&P 500 rose 10percent.

Four of the insurers, including Cigna, are also demonstratingthat they can thrive on their own after two megamergers collapsedthis year after being opposed by antitrust regulators and blockedby judges -- a tie-up between Anthem and Cigna, and an Aetna-Humanadeal.

Cigna raised its 2017 earnings forecast to $9.75 to $10.05 ashare, excluding some items, up from a June range of $9.35 to$9.85. Analysts anticipated $9.77. Earnings were $2.91 a share onthat basis, topping the $2.48 average estimate.

Cigna has been a relatively small player in Obamacare from thestart. The company focuses on selling coverage to employers, abusiness that’s been far less affected by the health law and thelegislative debate.

The insurer is pursuing growth in the private Medicare Advantageprogram for U.S. seniors, as well as in overseas benefitsofferings.

Following the collapse of the $48 billion acquisition by Anthem,Cigna Chief Executive Officer David Cordani laid out his strategyto investors in late June.

He said he’s targeting per-share earnings of $16 a share by2021. Deals could help accelerate the expansion, the CEO toldinvestors, adding he’s not counting on them

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