UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Up 0.6% - Still a Buy?

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) traded up 0.6% on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $431.50 and last traded at $427.94. 3,133,965 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 29% from the average session volume of 4,395,431 shares. The stock had previously closed at $425.33.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on UNH shares. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $694.00 to $660.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. HSBC reaffirmed a "hold" rating and issued a $490.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Tuesday. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $700.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Erste Group Bank raised UnitedHealth Group to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Finally, Raymond James reiterated a "strong-buy" rating and set a $540.00 price objective (down previously from $635.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Monday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and four have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $608.00.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.83. The stock's 50 day moving average is $510.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $538.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $386.55 billion, a PE ratio of 27.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.61.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.69% and a net margin of 3.60%. The company had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $111.56 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $6.91 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were given a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.99%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 35.18%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in UNH. Financial Management Professionals Inc. increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 0.8% in the first quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 2,224 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $1,165,000 after buying an additional 17 shares during the last quarter. Western Pacific Wealth Management LP lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. Western Pacific Wealth Management LP now owns 902 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $456,000 after buying an additional 19 shares during the last quarter. MCF Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 2,578 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $1,304,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares during the period. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 3.6% in the fourth quarter. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC now owns 575 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $291,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the period. Finally, Richwood Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,247 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $2,654,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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.

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