UnitedHealth Group’s (UNH) “Buy” Rating Reaffirmed at Truist Financial

Truist Financial reissued their buy rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) in a research report released on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a $600.00 target price on the healthcare conglomerate’s stock.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on UNH. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $596.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, February 29th. HSBC raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a reduce rating to a hold rating and set a $460.00 price target for the company in a report on Thursday, April 4th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and issued a $591.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $618.00 to $584.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 8th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $569.68.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 2.2 %

NYSE:UNH opened at $478.99 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.79. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $489.51 and a 200-day moving average of $515.38. The company has a market cap of $441.60 billion, a PE ratio of 29.28, a PEG ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 0.54. UnitedHealth Group has a one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $554.70.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 26.50%. The company had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $6.26 EPS. UnitedHealth Group’s quarterly revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group will post 27.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th were given a $1.88 dividend. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.57%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 45.97%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total transaction of $451,127.82. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares in the company, valued at $4,527,306.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total transaction of $451,127.82. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,977,233.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of UnitedHealth Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Ascension Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter worth $216,000. Bellecapital International Ltd. boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.4% during the fourth quarter. Bellecapital International Ltd. now owns 13,823 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $7,277,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares during the last quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 5.8% during the third quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 34,297 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $17,292,000 after acquiring an additional 1,884 shares during the last quarter. Rise Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 326.0% during the fourth quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 213 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $112,000 after acquiring an additional 163 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Gradient Investments LLC boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 6.3% during the fourth quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 84,278 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $44,370,000 after acquiring an additional 5,023 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is 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.