UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Rating Lowered to "Moderate Sell" at Hsbc Global Res

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) was downgraded by Hsbc Global Res from a "hold" rating to a "moderate sell" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on UNH. KeyCorp reduced their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $575.00 to $450.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 14th. TD Securities reiterated a "hold" rating and set a $308.00 price objective (down from $520.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Monday. StockNews.com upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Bank of America downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $560.00 to $350.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $525.00 to $355.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, eighteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $441.87.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $303.08 on Wednesday. UnitedHealth Group has a 1-year low of $248.88 and a 1-year high of $630.73. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $460.62 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $508.74. The firm has a market cap of $274.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.55, 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 analysts' consensus estimates of $7.29 by ($0.09). The firm had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.56 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $6.91 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, Director John H. Noseworthy purchased 300 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 14th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $312.16 per share, for a total transaction of $93,648.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 6,063 shares in the company, valued at $1,892,626.08. The trade was a 5.21% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn acquired 1,533 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 14th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $320.80 per share, with a total value of $491,786.40. Following the purchase, the director now owns 6,033 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,935,386.40. This trade represents a 34.07% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders have acquired 109,408 shares of company stock worth $31,607,768 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.33% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

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

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