UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Shares Up 0.1%

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) rose 0.1% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $507.00 and last traded at $501.65. Approximately 831,837 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 81% from the average daily volume of 4,337,228 shares. The stock had previously closed at $500.96.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Truist Financial reissued a “buy” rating and set a $600.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. TD Cowen dropped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $607.00 to $546.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. Bank of America reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $675.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Erste Group Bank reissued a “hold” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, March 13th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $618.00 to $584.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 5th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $570.05.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.4 %

The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $481.45 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $511.98. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The firm has a market capitalization of $462.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.62, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.55.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate 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. On average, equities analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th were paid a dividend of $1.88 per share. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.49%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 45.97%.

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

In other UnitedHealth Group news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total transaction of $597,581.28. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,527,306.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly 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 can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total transaction of $451,127.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of UnitedHealth Group

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of UNH. QCM Cayman Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the first quarter valued at about $281,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 21.4% in the 1st quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 977,346 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $483,493,000 after buying an additional 172,564 shares during the period. Motley Fool Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 11.9% in the first quarter. Motley Fool Asset Management LLC now owns 30,982 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $15,327,000 after acquiring an additional 3,295 shares during the last quarter. Sheets Smith Wealth Management lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.1% in the 1st quarter. Sheets Smith Wealth Management now owns 5,222 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $2,583,000 after purchasing an additional 208 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Baron Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,490 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $737,000 after purchasing an additional 36 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

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.