UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Earns “Buy” Rating from Truist Financial

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

Several other research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $596.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Barclays initiated coverage on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, March 6th. They set an overweight rating and a $551.00 price target on the stock. Piper Sandler dropped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $584.00 to $581.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. HSBC raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a reduce rating to a hold rating and set a $460.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 4th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $591.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $570.05.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 1.6 %

UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $501.29 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $462.16 billion, a PE ratio of 30.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 0.54. UnitedHealth Group has a twelve month low of $436.38 and a twelve month high of $554.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The company has a 50 day moving average of $488.63 and a 200-day moving average of $515.13.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 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 business had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $6.26 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group will post 27.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Monday, March 11th were given a dividend of $1.88 per share. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.50%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is 45.97%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total transaction of $597,581.28. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,364 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,527,306.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other UnitedHealth Group news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the 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 directly owns 32,289 shares in the company, valued at $16,977,233.31. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total transaction of $597,581.28. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares in the company, valued at $4,527,306.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.35% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $210,000. McGowan Group Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 8.9% in the 1st quarter. McGowan Group Asset Management Inc. now owns 744 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $379,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 31.8% in the 1st quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 250,196 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $127,592,000 after buying an additional 60,300 shares during the last quarter. MAS Advisors LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 10.8% in the 1st quarter. MAS Advisors LLC now owns 463 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $241,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Western Trust Bank bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $875,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.