UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Up 1.1% – Here’s What Happened

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) shares rose 1.1% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $335.19 and last traded at $329.78. Approximately 5,403,309 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 55% from the average daily volume of 12,093,337 shares. The stock had previously closed at $326.28.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on UNH. Truist Financial increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $310.00 to $365.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 9th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $440.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, August 26th. Baird R W downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Thursday, July 31st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $267.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 7th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $378.00 to $430.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Eighteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $397.12.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $298.70 billion, a PE ratio of 17.21, a P/E/G ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.47. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $343.51 and a 200 day moving average price of $315.21.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.87 by $0.05. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.04% and a return on equity of 19.23%. The firm had revenue of $113.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $113.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $7.15 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 8th will be issued a dividend of $2.21 per share. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.14%.

Institutional Trading of UnitedHealth Group

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Bayforest Capital Ltd increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% during the 1st quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 416.7% in the first quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 62 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 69.4% in the 3rd quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 83 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the period. Finally, 1248 Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at $29,000. 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.