UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Issues Earnings Results

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.63 by $0.28, RTT News reports. The business had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 26.50%. The company’s revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $6.26 EPS. UnitedHealth Group updated its FY 2024 guidance to 27.500-28.000 EPS and its FY24 guidance to $27.50-28.00 EPS.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 2.2 %

UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $478.99 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. UnitedHealth Group has a 52 week low of $436.38 and a 52 week high of $554.70. The company has a market capitalization of $441.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 0.54. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $489.51 and a 200 day moving average price of $515.38.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th were issued a $1.88 dividend. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.57%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 45.97%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Bank of America reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $675.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, March 7th. Erste Group Bank restated a “hold” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $605.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Truist Financial restated a “buy” rating and issued a $600.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $534.00 to $560.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $569.68.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total transaction of $597,581.28. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,527,306.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total transaction of $597,581.28. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,527,306.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total value of $451,127.82. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Hobbs Group Advisors LLC acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $359,000. O Dell Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $74,000. Ashford Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 67.7% in the fourth quarter. Ashford Capital Management Inc. now owns 7,755 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $4,083,000 after buying an additional 3,131 shares in the last quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 108.3% in the fourth quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 318,659 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $167,765,000 after buying an additional 165,685 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Faithward Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.8% in the fourth quarter. Faithward Advisors LLC now owns 1,982 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $997,000 after buying an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.