FY2024 Earnings Estimate for UNH Issued By Leerink Partnrs

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) - Leerink Partnrs dropped their FY2024 earnings per share estimates for UnitedHealth Group in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, October 15th. Leerink Partnrs analyst W. Mayo now anticipates that the healthcare conglomerate will post earnings of $27.57 per share for the year, down from their previous estimate of $27.67. The consensus estimate for UnitedHealth Group's current full-year earnings is $27.68 per share. Leerink Partnrs also issued estimates for UnitedHealth Group's Q4 2024 earnings at $6.65 EPS, Q1 2025 earnings at $7.35 EPS, Q4 2025 earnings at $7.48 EPS, FY2025 earnings at $29.80 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $33.86 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $38.61 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $44.08 EPS.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.55% and a net margin of 3.66%. The firm had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $99.14 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $6.56 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. KeyCorp initiated coverage on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, October 11th. They issued an "overweight" rating and a $675.00 price target on the stock. Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $675.00 to $650.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. TD Cowen raised their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $601.00 to $609.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday. Stephens reduced their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $597.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $615.58.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNH traded up $3.58 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $569.61. 3,273,628 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,966,484. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $525.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.58. UnitedHealth Group has a 12 month low of $436.38 and a 12 month high of $608.63. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $584.42 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $533.63.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.6% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 84,405,255 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $41,755,280,000 after acquiring an additional 544,740 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.4% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 26,062,928 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $12,893,331,000 after purchasing an additional 94,641 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.4% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 8,039,601 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $4,094,247,000 after buying an additional 35,533 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 30.0% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,816,254 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,942,956,000 after buying an additional 880,183 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.6% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 3,772,487 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,920,039,000 after acquiring an additional 21,149 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th were paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.47%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is 55.70%.

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.