UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Down 2.5% on Analyst Downgrade

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) was down 2.5% on Wednesday after Barclays lowered their price target on the stock from $350.00 to $337.00. Barclays currently has an overweight rating on the stock. UnitedHealth Group traded as low as $299.16 and last traded at $299.85. Approximately 4,816,708 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 36% from the average daily volume of 7,581,969 shares. The stock had previously closed at $307.70.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Wells Fargo & Company restated an "overweight" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, June 6th. Raymond James Financial lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "market perform" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. Truist Financial reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $360.00 price objective (down previously from $580.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Monday, May 19th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 24th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $521.00 to $362.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, May 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $415.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Kristen Gil purchased 3,700 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 15th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $271.17 per share, with a total value of $1,003,329.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 3,818 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,035,327.06. This represents a 3,135.59% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 589 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.00, for a total transaction of $179,645.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 10,398 shares in the company, valued at $3,171,390. The trade was a 5.36% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders bought 109,408 shares of company stock worth $31,607,768. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in UNH. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% in the 1st 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 last quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 416.7% in the 1st quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 62 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $275.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 0.45. The business's 50 day moving average price is $318.44 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $443.71. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71.

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 (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.29% and a net margin of 5.39%. The firm had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $111.56 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $6.91 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 16th were issued a dividend of $2.21 per share. 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 yield of 2.91%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 16th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 37.02%.

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.