Barclays Lowers UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Price Target to $603.00

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) had its price objective reduced by analysts at Barclays from $604.00 to $603.00 in a report released on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “overweight” rating on the healthcare conglomerate’s stock. Barclays‘s target price indicates a potential upside of 6.82% from the company’s current price.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on UNH. Stephens reduced their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $591.00 to $644.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. TD Cowen upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $601.00 to $609.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Argus boosted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $570.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, HSBC cut UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $615.53.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.9 %

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $564.48 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $519.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.50, a P/E/G ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.58. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $584.16 and a 200-day moving average price of $536.49. UnitedHealth Group has a 52-week low of $436.38 and a 52-week high of $608.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 0.91.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The firm had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.14 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $6.56 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group will post 27.61 EPS 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 company. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 78,814.4% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 5,296,737 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $3,096,896,000 after buying an additional 5,290,025 shares during the period. Swedbank AB bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $1,117,462,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 107.8% in the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,306,729 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,141,113,000 after purchasing an additional 1,196,758 shares during the period. Lone Pine Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $480,903,000. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 30.0% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,816,254 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,942,956,000 after acquiring an additional 880,183 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

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.