UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Shares Down 1.7%

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)’s stock price traded down 1.7% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $479.04 and last traded at $481.05. 3,692,708 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 6% from the average session volume of 3,475,360 shares. The stock had previously closed at $489.23.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. HSBC upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $580.00 price target for the company in a report on Wednesday, June 5th. Baird R W upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 30th. Erste Group Bank restated a “hold” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, March 13th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $618.00 to $584.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 5th. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $534.00 to $560.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $579.74.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 1.7 %

The company has a market cap of $442.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.40, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 0.58. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $494.64 and its 200-day moving average price is $505.02. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.63 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $99.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 26.50%. The business’s revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $6.26 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.57 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Investors of record on Monday, June 17th will be given a $2.10 dividend. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 17th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.75%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 51.34%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Bell Investment Advisors Inc lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.8% during the 4th quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 525 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $276,000 after buying an additional 24 shares in the last quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 16,941 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $8,919,000 after buying an additional 342 shares in the last quarter. Bellecapital International Ltd. lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Bellecapital International Ltd. now owns 13,823 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $7,277,000 after buying an additional 193 shares in the last quarter. Rise Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 326.0% during the 4th quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 213 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $112,000 after buying an additional 163 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Gradient Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 6.3% during the 4th quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 84,278 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $44,370,000 after buying an additional 5,023 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

About UnitedHealth Group

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.