UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Down 1.3% - Time to Sell?

Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) dropped 1.3% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $398.51 and last traded at $399.58. Approximately 1,807,659 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 61% from the average daily volume of 4,614,688 shares. The stock had previously closed at $404.81.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on UNH shares. Barclays reduced their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $642.00 to $560.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 21st. Truist Financial cut their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $660.00 to $580.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Erste Group Bank downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. Raymond James reissued a "strong-buy" rating and set a $540.00 target price (down previously from $635.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Monday, April 21st. Finally, Oppenheimer lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $640.00 to $600.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 21st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $596.86.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $354.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56. The stock's 50-day moving average is $491.52 and its 200-day moving average is $525.18. 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 posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $7.29 by ($0.09). The firm had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $111.56 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. During the same period last year, the firm posted $6.91 EPS. Analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were given a $2.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.15%. UnitedHealth Group's payout ratio is currently 35.18%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UNH. NewSquare Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% during the 1st quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.