UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Down 1.6% - Should You Sell?

Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) fell 1.6% during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $302.68 and last traded at $303.71. 3,228,420 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 57% from the average session volume of 7,544,176 shares. The stock had previously closed at $308.55.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on UNH shares. Bank of America downgraded UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $560.00 to $350.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $525.00 to $355.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 16th. TD Securities reissued a "hold" rating and issued a $308.00 price objective (down previously from $520.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Monday, May 19th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $360.00 target price (down previously from $580.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Monday, May 19th. Finally, Argus cut UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, April 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and sixteen have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $415.57.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $324.99 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $447.02. The firm has a market cap of $275.54 billion, a PE ratio of 12.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.85.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 5.39% and a return on equity of 26.29%. The company had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $111.56 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $6.91 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 24th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 16th were given a dividend of $2.21 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 16th. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.10. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.91%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 37.02%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 589 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.00, for a total transaction of $179,645.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 10,398 shares in the company, valued at $3,171,390. This trade represents a 5.36% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Stephen J. Hemsley acquired 86,700 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 16th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $288.57 per share, for a total transaction of $25,019,019.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 679,493 shares in the company, valued at $196,081,295.01. The trade was a 14.63% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders acquired 109,408 shares of company stock worth $31,607,768. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 416.7% in the first quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 62 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.