UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Sets New 12-Month High - Here's Why

Key Points

• UnitedHealth Group hit a new 52-week high, trading as high as $430.77 as investors continued to bid up the stock. The shares were last near $427, reflecting strong recent momentum.
• Analysts remain broadly bullish after multiple firms raised price targets, including Truist, Barclays, and Leerink Partners. The stock now carries an average “Moderate Buy” rating with an average target price of $414.75.
• Recent fundamentals and capital returns have been solid, with the company beating quarterly EPS and revenue estimates and raising its dividend to $2.32 per share. UnitedHealth also reiterated full-year guidance, while institutional ownership remains very high at 87.86%.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report)'s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $430.77 and last traded at $427.0280, with a volume of 750905 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $428.19.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $395.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, June 1st. TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Barclays increased their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $373.00 to $429.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Leerink Partners boosted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $462.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th. Finally, Raymond James Financial raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $330.00 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $414.75.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.0%

The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $395.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $336.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $388.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.76 by $0.47. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.68% and a return on equity of 14.65%. The business had revenue of $111.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $109.84 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $7.20 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.32 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 15th were paid a dividend of $2.32 per share. This represents a $9.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.21. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 70.09%.

Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total value of $284,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 17,805 shares in the company, valued at $6,320,775. This trade represents a 4.30% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of UnitedHealth Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 50.2% in the 2nd quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 368 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $153,000 after acquiring an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. Czech National Bank grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.8% in the second quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 258,493 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $107,437,000 after purchasing an additional 11,792 shares during the last quarter. PensionDanmark Pensionsforsikringsaktieselskab raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 13.2% during the 2nd quarter. PensionDanmark Pensionsforsikringsaktieselskab now owns 187,803 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $78,057,000 after purchasing an additional 21,949 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 121.7% during the second quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,306,053 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $542,835,000 after buying an additional 716,812 shares during the period. Finally, Apella Capital LLC lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 7.1% in the second quarter. Apella Capital LLC now owns 4,617 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,977,000 after acquiring an additional 305 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

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.

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