UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Down 15.3% Following Analyst Downgrade

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report)'s share price dropped 15.3% during mid-day trading on Thursday after Barclays lowered their price target on the stock from $513.00 to $362.00. Barclays currently has an overweight rating on the stock. UnitedHealth Group traded as low as $248.88 and last traded at $260.99. Approximately 58,975,475 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 1,001% from the average daily volume of 5,358,403 shares. The stock had previously closed at $308.01.

Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on UNH. Bank of America downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and reduced their target price for the company from $560.00 to $350.00 in a research note on Wednesday. Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $650.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. KeyCorp reduced their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $575.00 to $450.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Raymond James downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $563.00 to $374.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $508.38.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. NewSquare Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% in the first quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares during the period. Finally, AlphaMark Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $239.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.96, a P/E/G ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $478.83 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $517.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.91.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $111.56 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $6.91 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were paid a $2.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.18%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 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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