UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Sets New 12-Month Low - Time to Sell?

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report)'s share price hit a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $390.20 and last traded at $393.49, with a volume of 737060 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $394.51.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Oppenheimer lowered their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $640.00 to $600.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 21st. Raymond James reissued a "strong-buy" rating and set a $540.00 price objective (down from $635.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Monday, April 21st. Argus lowered UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 21st. Hsbc Global Res lowered UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $700.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, January 17th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $596.86.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 1.4 %

The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $493.20 and a 200-day simple moving average of $526.12. The stock has a market cap of $354.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.08, a P/E/G ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56. 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 (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share 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 analysts' expectations of $111.56 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $6.91 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.16%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is 35.18%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. NewSquare Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth $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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