KeyCorp Equities Analysts Lower Earnings Estimates for UNH

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) – KeyCorp reduced their Q4 2024 earnings per share estimates for UnitedHealth Group in a research note issued on Monday, January 6th. KeyCorp analyst M. Gillmor now expects that the healthcare conglomerate will post earnings of $6.77 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $6.93. KeyCorp currently has a “Strong-Buy” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for UnitedHealth Group’s current full-year earnings is $27.61 per share. KeyCorp also issued estimates for UnitedHealth Group’s Q1 2025 earnings at $7.50 EPS, Q2 2025 earnings at $7.37 EPS, Q3 2025 earnings at $7.60 EPS, Q4 2025 earnings at $7.35 EPS, FY2025 earnings at $29.83 EPS and FY2026 earnings at $34.05 EPS.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.37% and a net margin of 3.63%. The business had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.14 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $6.56 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year.

Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $610.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Barclays upped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $603.00 to $655.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 27th. HSBC upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $595.00 price target for the company in a research note on Friday. Oppenheimer upped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $610.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, December 6th. Finally, Stephens boosted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $605.00 to $675.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $626.79.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $520.11 on Thursday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $555.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $561.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.91. UnitedHealth Group has a one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $630.73. The company has a market capitalization of $478.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.62.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th were issued a $2.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.62%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is presently 54.72%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of UNH. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 152.4% in the 3rd quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 53 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. West Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $32,000. Quarry LP boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 132.1% in the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 65 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. Finally, VitalStone Financial LLC lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 600.0% in the 2nd quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 70 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.