UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Lowered to “Hold” Rating by Argus

Argus downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report released on Monday, MarketBeat reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $694.00 to $660.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $605.00 to $600.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 2nd. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $700.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, January 17th. Erste Group Bank upgraded UnitedHealth Group to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 16th. Finally, StockNews.com raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have assigned a buy rating and four have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $615.24.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 6.3 %

Shares of UNH stock opened at $425.39 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The business’s 50 day moving average is $510.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $538.77. The company has a market cap of $389.11 billion, a PE ratio of 27.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.61. UnitedHealth Group has a 12 month low of $424.81 and a 12 month high of $630.73.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released 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). UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. The firm had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.56 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $6.91 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.97%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 35.18%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. NewSquare Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

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.