UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Shares Down 1.1% - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• UnitedHealth Group's stock fell by 1.1%, closing at $300.45, with trading volume down 79% compared to its average.
• Analysts have mixed opinions on the stock, with price targets ranging from $198.00 to $390.00 and an average consensus price target of $353.00.
• The company recently reported quarterly earnings of $4.08 per share, missing estimates and showing a 12.9% revenue increase compared to the previous year.

Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) traded down 1.1% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $300.04 and last traded at $300.45. 2,648,045 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 79% from the average session volume of 12,783,742 shares. The stock had previously closed at $303.88.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Wolfe Research reduced their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $501.00 to $390.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 20th. TD Cowen downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $308.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Monday, May 19th. Bank of America lifted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $290.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, August 18th. Robert W. Baird reiterated an "underperform" rating and set a $198.00 price target (down from $312.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, July 31st. Finally, Oppenheimer lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $325.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $353.00.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.6%

The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. The stock has a market cap of $273.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 0.43. The stock's 50-day moving average is $288.09 and its 200-day moving average is $384.83.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 29th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $4.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.45 by ($0.37). The business had revenue of $111.62 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.75 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 5.04% and a return on equity of 23.32%. UnitedHealth Group's revenue was up 12.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $6.80 EPS. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 16.000- EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 23rd. Investors of record on Monday, September 15th will be paid a $2.21 dividend. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 15th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is 38.30%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 589 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.00, for a total value of $179,645.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 10,398 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,171,390. This trade represents a 5.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of UnitedHealth Group

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% during the first quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Sagard Holdings Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Islay Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 416.7% during the first quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 62 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About UnitedHealth Group

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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