Analysts Set UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Price Target at $596.86

Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) have earned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-four brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, eighteen have given a buy recommendation and two have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $596.86.

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on UNH shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $700.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, January 17th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $694.00 to $660.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. Barclays cut their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $642.00 to $560.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 21st. Argus lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 21st. Finally, Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and set a $540.00 target price (down from $635.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Monday, April 21st.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 1.4 %

Shares of UNH stock opened at $385.74 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. UnitedHealth Group has a 52 week low of $385.37 and a 52 week high of $630.73. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $489.89 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $523.90. The stock has a market cap of $351.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.89, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.29 by ($0.09). The company had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.56 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.69% and a net margin of 3.60%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $6.91 earnings per share. Analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a $2.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.18%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 35.18%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. NewSquare Capital LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% during the first 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 period. Finally, AlphaMark Advisors LLC acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently 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.