Philips soars 30% as US settlement costs less than feared, comes earlier

** Shares in Philips INPHI jump more than 30% to two-year highs after the Dutch medical devices maker agreed to pay $1.1 billion in a settlement of personal injury cases in the United States related to the global recall of ventilators used to treat sleep apnea

** Monday's gains so far added 5.0 billion euros ($5.36 billion) to company's market cap

** "Surprise news of a settlement on the personal litigations comes much earlier than expected and at $1.1bn is likely less than feared," J.P.Morgan says

** JPM adds that the expectations were more in the $2-3 billion range

** "Speaking to the company, the settlement resolves personal injury and medical monitoring in the US, is a capped amount and ends uncertainty on litigation," Barclays says

** It also notes that it is significantly lower than buyside expectations of $2-4 billion and worst case of $10 billion, comes earlier than expected and removes an overhang

** If gains hold, the stock will see its best day ever

($1 = 0.9331 euros)