UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Reaches New 12-Month Low After Analyst Downgrade

Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) reached a new 52-week low during trading on Monday after Truist Financial lowered their price target on the stock from $660.00 to $580.00. Truist Financial currently has a buy rating on the stock. UnitedHealth Group traded as low as $431.98 and last traded at $435.32, with a volume of 3059387 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $454.11.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on UNH. Barclays cut their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $642.00 to $560.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. Oppenheimer dropped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $640.00 to $600.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $694.00 to $660.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. StockNews.com upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Finally, Mizuho upped their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $650.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have given a buy rating and four have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $615.24.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. NewSquare Capital LLC bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $389.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.44, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $510.91 and a 200 day moving average of $538.77.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.69% and a net margin of 3.60%. The business had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $111.56 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $6.91 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.97%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is presently 35.18%.

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.