Cantor Fitzgerald Equities Analysts Decrease Earnings Estimates for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) - Stock analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald cut their FY2024 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, April 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst S. James now forecasts that the healthcare conglomerate will earn $27.50 per share for the year, down from their previous forecast of $27.75. Cantor Fitzgerald has a "Overweight" rating and a $591.00 price target on the stock. The consensus estimate for UnitedHealth Group's current full-year earnings is $27.61 per share.

Several other research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Oppenheimer reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $610.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. Piper Sandler increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $566.00 to $571.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. Truist Financial reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $600.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. StockNews.com lowered UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $534.00 to $560.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $570.05.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 2.0 %

UNH traded down $9.90 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $491.23. 4,691,233 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,554,929. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $488.10 and a two-hundred day moving average of $515.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $452.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.03, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.79. UnitedHealth Group has a 52 week low of $436.38 and a 52 week high of $554.70.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $6.63 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 4.05%. UnitedHealth Group's quarterly revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $6.26 EPS.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 11th were paid a $1.88 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 8th. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.53%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 45.97%.

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter valued at about $261,000. Confluence Wealth Services Inc. increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.1% in the first quarter. Confluence Wealth Services Inc. now owns 4,738 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $2,344,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. Founders Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 12.0% in the first quarter. Founders Capital Management LLC now owns 1,939 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $959,000 after purchasing an additional 208 shares during the last quarter. Invera Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.1% in the first quarter. Invera Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,213 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,585,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Harbour Trust & Investment Management Co increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 34.9% in the first quarter. Harbour Trust & Investment Management Co now owns 12,248 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $6,059,000 after purchasing an additional 3,170 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.