UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Shares Gap Down After Analyst Downgrade

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) shares gapped down before the market opened on Thursday after Barclays lowered their price target on the stock from $513.00 to $362.00. The stock had previously closed at $308.01, but opened at $274.90. Barclays currently has an overweight rating on the stock. UnitedHealth Group shares last traded at $257.63, with a volume of 31,635,304 shares trading hands.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Erste Group Bank downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. HSBC reaffirmed a "hold" rating and issued a $490.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Raymond James downgraded UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $521.00 to $362.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $677.00 to $351.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $508.38.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UNH. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 50.3% during the 4th quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 1,320 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $668,000 after buying an additional 442 shares during the last quarter. Tuttle Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 34.1% in the fourth quarter. Tuttle Capital Management LLC now owns 629 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $318,000 after acquiring an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. Tlwm increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.0% in the 4th quarter. Tlwm now owns 2,708 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $1,370,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Lpwm LLC boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 80.8% during the fourth quarter. Lpwm LLC now owns 866 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $438,000 after buying an additional 387 shares during the period. Finally, SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC grew its position in UnitedHealth Group by 2.3% during the fourth quarter. SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,223 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,630,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 17.2%

The firm has a market cap of $231.46 billion, a PE ratio of 16.64, a P/E/G ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The firm's 50 day moving average is $478.83 and its 200-day moving average is $517.83.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results 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). The company had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $111.56 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.69% and a net margin of 3.60%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $6.91 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.29%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.18%.

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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