Royal Bank of Canada Issues Pessimistic Forecast for UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) had its price target reduced by stock analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from $525.00 to $355.00 in a research report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an "outperform" rating on the healthcare conglomerate's stock. Royal Bank of Canada's target price would indicate a potential upside of 22.84% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other analysts also recently commented on UNH. Raymond James downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "market perform" rating in a report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $563.00 to $374.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Truist Financial decreased their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $660.00 to $580.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $513.00 to $362.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Erste Group Bank lowered UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $500.29.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 5.3%

UNH stock traded up $14.64 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $288.99. 36,568,157 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,734,190. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. UnitedHealth Group has a twelve month low of $248.88 and a twelve month high of $630.73. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $474.72 and a 200 day simple moving average of $515.82. The company has a market capitalization of $262.16 billion, a PE ratio of 18.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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 firm had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.56 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $6.91 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. NewSquare Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% during the 1st quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AlphaMark Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

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.

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