UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH – Get Free Report) was down 0.4% on Tuesday after Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on the stock from $600.00 to $525.00. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an overweight rating on the stock. UnitedHealth Group traded as low as $452.46 and last traded at $454.08. Approximately 1,010,277 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 76% from the average daily volume of 4,198,682 shares. The stock had previously closed at $456.00.
Other research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $591.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, April 4th. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $610.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. Barclays initiated coverage on UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, March 6th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $551.00 price objective for the company. HSBC raised UnitedHealth Group from a “reduce” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $460.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 4th. Finally, Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $605.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $576.90.
Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group
In other UnitedHealth Group news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total transaction of $597,581.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,527,306.72. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,527,306.72. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total value of $451,127.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 32,289 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group
Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Kraft Davis & Associates LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 3.4% during the 3rd quarter. Kraft Davis & Associates LLC now owns 577 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $294,000 after acquiring an additional 19 shares during the period. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,217 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $614,000 after acquiring an additional 19 shares during the period. Secure Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Secure Asset Management LLC now owns 2,456 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,238,000 after acquiring an additional 19 shares during the period. Bensler LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Bensler LLC now owns 7,293 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $3,677,000 after acquiring an additional 19 shares during the period. Finally, Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX now owns 1,695 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $855,000 after acquiring an additional 19 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.
UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 0.8 %
The stock has a market cap of $423.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.10, a PEG ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.54. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $497.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $518.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.79.
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.98 by $0.18. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 26.39%. The firm had revenue of $94.43 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $92.13 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $5.34 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.78 EPS for the current year.
UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Monday, March 11th were given a $1.88 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 8th. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.64%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.54%.
UnitedHealth Group Company Profile
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children’s health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.