UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Down 1.1% After Analyst Downgrade

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)’s stock price traded down 1.1% during trading on Monday after Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on the stock from $411.00 to $409.00. Morgan Stanley currently has an overweight rating on the stock. UnitedHealth Group traded as low as $347.27 and last traded at $352.32. 8,055,367 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 13% from the average session volume of 7,159,791 shares. The stock had previously closed at $356.26.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $310.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $286.00 to $408.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $433.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $335.00 to $338.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $317.00 to $409.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $386.33.

Trending Headlines about UnitedHealth Group

Here are the key news stories impacting UnitedHealth Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Baird frames UnitedHealth’s decision to rebate ACA profits to customers as a strategic, industry‑positive move that could preserve market positioning and limit regulatory scrutiny. Baird Calls UNH’s ACA Rebate Strategic
• Neutral Sentiment: UNH is reporting Q4 results and holding an earnings call on Jan. 27 — an immediate catalyst that will drive short‑term volatility as investors digest revenue, margin trends and management guidance. Earnings Call Transcript / Upcoming Report
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts have been updating forecasts ahead of the print; some boutiques and accuracy‑ranked analysts revised estimates — these changes shape expectations but outcomes will depend on the actual guidance. Analysts Revise Forecasts Ahead of Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces and previews (e.g., Seeking Alpha, Blockonomi) discuss whether Q4 results can stabilize the stock after prior declines; useful for scenario analysis but not new fundamentals. Guidance In Focus During Quarterly Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Routine coverage of analyst upgrades/downgrades and pre‑earnings expectation pieces are circulating; these can nudge sentiment intraday but are secondary to the regulatory and earnings headlines. Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades Roundup
• Negative Sentiment: The Trump administration proposed keeping Medicare Advantage rates roughly flat for next year (average increase ~0.09%), a development that directly reduces expected revenue growth for insurers with MA exposure and triggered significant selling pressure across the sector. WSJ/Reuters: Proposal to Keep Medicare Rates Steady
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction was sharp: major health insurers, including UnitedHealth, fell in extended trading after the rate proposal was reported — this reflects investor concern about near‑term earnings/loss of margin leverage from Medicare Advantage. CNBC: Health Insurers Tumble After Rate Proposal
• Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley trimmed its price target on UNH to $409, signaling lowered analyst conviction on near‑term upside and adding downward pressure on sentiment ahead of earnings. Morgan Stanley Cuts UNH Price Target

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of UNH. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Sagard Holdings Management Inc. bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 69.4% during the 3rd quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 83 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Finally, 1248 Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at about $29,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 1.1%

The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $332.71 and its 200-day simple moving average is $323.96. The company has a market capitalization of $319.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.39, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.82.

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

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 8th were given a $2.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 8th. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is presently 46.14%.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Inc is a diversified health care company headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, that operates two primary business platforms: UnitedHealthcare and Optum. Founded in 1977, the company provides a broad range of health benefits and health care services to individuals, employers, governmental entities and other organizations. Its operations span commercial employer-sponsored plans, individual and Medicare and Medicaid programs, and services for customers and health systems in the United States and selected international markets.

UnitedHealthcare is the company’s benefits business, administering health plans and networks, managing provider relationships, and offering coverage products for employers, individuals, and government-sponsored programs.