UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Up 3%

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)’s share price rose 3% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $507.81 and last traded at $500.86. Approximately 2,128,578 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 48% from the average daily volume of 4,131,550 shares. The stock had previously closed at $486.44.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently weighed in on UNH. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 8th. Bank of America reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $675.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $545.00 to $562.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 19th. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $618.00 to $584.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 5th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $591.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $579.74.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 4.7 %

The firm has a market capitalization of $468.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.13, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.58. The business’s 50-day moving average is $498.34 and its two-hundred day moving average is $501.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.85.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.63 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $99.80 billion for 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%. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $6.26 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.57 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Investors of record on Monday, June 17th were paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.65%. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 17th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 51.34%.

Institutional Trading of UnitedHealth Group

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Richelieu Gestion SA bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. CGC Financial Services LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1,000.0% during the 4th quarter. CGC Financial Services LLC now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. True Wealth Design LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 757.1% during the 1st quarter. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 60 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 148.1% in the 4th quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA now owns 67 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.