medco Health Solutions

 its planned $29.1 billion purchase of rival pharmacy-benefits manager Medco Health Solutions Inc. (MHS), is firing a shot across the bow of pharmaceutical companies that charge .Express Scripts Inc will buy rival Medco Health Solutions Inc for $29.1 billion, creating a U.S. powerhouse in managing prescription drug benefits that is sure to draw antitrust scrutiny. Under the acquisition agreement, Express Scripts shall form a new holding company called Express Scripts Holding Company ("ESHC") and shareholders will receive $28.80 in cash and 0.81 shares of ESHC for each Medco share. Based on the closing price of .However, the move comes just as Medco, which is the largest PBM, lost an important $11 billion contract with UnitedHealth Group that accounted for 17 percent of its business. Medco has also lost other big contracts recently, .Express Scripts will buy rival Medco Health Solutions for $29.1 billion in cash and stock to create a powerhouse in managing prescription drug benefits in the United States, the companies said on Thursday.By TheStreet Wire 07/21/11 - 09:56 AM EDT NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Medco Health Solutions (NYSE:MHS) were gapping up Thursday morning with an open price 18.1% higher than Wednesday's closing price. The stock closed at $55.78 Wednesday and .Express Scripts Inc. (ESRX, $55.80, +$3.26, +6.20%) agreed to buy Medco Health (MHS, $64.58, +$8.80, +15.78%) for $29.1 billion in cash and stock, a deal that combines two of the largest US pharmacy-benefit managers at a time when health-care services .