UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Up 1.3% - Here's Why

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report)'s stock price rose 1.3% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $565.47 and last traded at $565.23. Approximately 447,800 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 88% from the average daily volume of 3,877,344 shares. The stock had previously closed at $557.77.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNH has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Stephens reduced their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their target price for the stock from $481.00 to $647.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Bank of America cut their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $675.00 to $650.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $595.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $597.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Four investment 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 company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $615.53.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 1.6 %

The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $580.96 and a 200 day moving average price of $543.36. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The company has a market cap of $523.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.94, a PEG ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.58.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.37% and a net margin of 3.63%. The company 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 business earned $6.56 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th were paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.48%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 54.72%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 20.6% in the first quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 10,867 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $5,376,000 after acquiring an additional 1,857 shares in the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 5.5% in the first quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 4,196 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $2,076,000 after acquiring an additional 217 shares in the last quarter. Avidian Wealth Solutions LLC increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 31.3% in the first quarter. Avidian Wealth Solutions LLC now owns 2,394 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,184,000 after acquiring an additional 571 shares in the last quarter. Embree Financial Group increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 12.1% in the first quarter. Embree Financial Group now owns 613 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $303,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Richardson Financial Services Inc. grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 10.4% during the first quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 2,605 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,289,000 after buying an additional 246 shares in 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.