** Shares of Australia's nib Holdings NHF.AX rise as much as 13.8% to A$6.760, emerging as the top gainer in the benchmark index .AXJO

** Stock at its highest level since August 23, 2024

** Stock currently up 13.5%, on track to record its biggest intraday gain since May 20, 2019

** The insurer posts HY underlying operating profit $(UOP)$ of A$105.8 million ($67.41 million), which beat a Visible Alpha consensus estimate of A$98 million

** HY NPAT of A$82.9 million "slightly misses consensus of A$84 million" - Citi analysts

** Result is broadly in line with consensus although the beat for Australian Residents Health Insurance profit (ahri) relative to both our forecasts and consensus is likely to be taken positively - Citi

** nib stock has risen 23.2% pct this year, as of 0031 GMT

($1 = 1.5696 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Roshan Thomas in Bengaluru)

((Roshan.Thomas@thomsonreuters.com))