UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Shares Up 0.9% – What’s Next?

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) shot up 0.9% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $510.99 and last traded at $510.83. 622,241 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 85% from the average session volume of 4,092,713 shares. The stock had previously closed at $506.10.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently commented on UNH. Truist Financial reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $625.00 price objective (down previously from $640.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Oppenheimer increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $610.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, December 6th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 9th. Bank of America decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $675.00 to $650.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $595.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $626.84.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.6 %

The stock has a fifty day moving average of $568.00 and a two-hundred day moving average of $559.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $468.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.18, a P/E/G ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.91.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.00 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.14 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $6.56 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th were issued a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.65%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 54.72%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 152.4% during the third quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 53 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. West Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at about $32,000. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, Quarry LP lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 132.1% during the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 65 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 37 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.