UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Trading Down 0.8% - Here's What Happened

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report)'s share price was down 0.8% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $387.68 and last traded at $387.94. 1,439,021 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 69% from the average daily volume of 4,655,204 shares. The stock had previously closed at $391.06.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. HSBC restated a "hold" rating and set a $490.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $655.00 to $525.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 23rd. Hsbc Global Res downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. KeyCorp cut their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $650.00 to $575.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 21st. Finally, Erste Group Bank lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $596.86.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 1.3 %

The company's 50-day moving average price is $488.01 and its 200 day moving average price is $522.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.83. The stock has a market cap of $346.54 billion, a PE ratio of 24.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. The company had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $111.56 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $6.91 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were given a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.21%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 35.18%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hudson Valley Investment Advisors Inc. ADV raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 8.9% in the 4th quarter. Hudson Valley Investment Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 26,283 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $13,296,000 after purchasing an additional 2,137 shares in the last quarter. ORG Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 14.6% in the 4th quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 2,139 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $1,086,000 after acquiring an additional 273 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Street Advisors Inc. NC boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 13.8% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Street Advisors Inc. NC now owns 2,122 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $1,073,000 after buying an additional 257 shares in the last quarter. CCM Investment Advisers LLC increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 7.6% during the fourth quarter. CCM Investment Advisers LLC now owns 32,346 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $16,363,000 after purchasing an additional 2,288 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 115.1% in the fourth quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 200 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $101,000 after buying an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other 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.