UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Downgraded to Hold Rating by StockNews.com

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) was downgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued on Wednesday.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on UNH. Truist Financial reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $625.00 price target (down previously from $640.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $680.00 to $650.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Stephens decreased their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. 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 note on Friday, October 18th. Finally, HSBC cut UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $615.53.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH stock traded up $23.50 on Wednesday, hitting $600.50. 3,921,374 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,880,279. The firm has a market capitalization of $552.63 billion, a PE ratio of 37.59, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.58. The firm's 50 day moving average is $582.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $551.25. UnitedHealth Group has a one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $630.73. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The company had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $99.14 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $6.56 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group will post 27.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter worth $27,000. Macroview Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 671.4% during the 2nd quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 54 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 47 shares in the last quarter. Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth approximately $31,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 152.4% during the third quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 53 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Signature Resources Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 40.0% in the 2nd quarter. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC now owns 63 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company's stock.

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.