UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) has been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-eight research firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, nine have assigned a hold recommendation, seventeen have assigned a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $372.1250.

Several analysts have recently commented on UNH shares. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $406.00 price objective for the company. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Leerink Partners decreased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $410.00 to $345.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. UBS Group dropped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $430.00 to $410.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $411.00 to $409.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 23rd.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $275.17 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.82. UnitedHealth Group has a 1 year low of $234.60 and a 1 year high of $606.36. The firm has a market cap of $249.26 billion, a PE ratio of 20.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $324.91 and a 200 day simple moving average of $323.43.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.09 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $113.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $113.38 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.69% and a return on equity of 14.79%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $6.81 EPS. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.750- EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 176.2% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 44,249 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $22,384,000 after buying an additional 28,231 shares during the period. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 137.1% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 4,019 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $2,033,000 after acquiring an additional 2,324 shares during the last quarter. CMT Capital Markets Trading GmbH acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 2nd quarter valued at about $340,000. Focused Investors LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 21.8% in the second quarter. Focused Investors LLC now owns 504,000 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $157,233,000 after purchasing an additional 90,100 shares during the period. Finally, Sax Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 7.1% in the second quarter. Sax Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 706 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $220,000 after acquiring an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Inc is a diversified health care company headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, that operates two primary business platforms: UnitedHealthcare and Optum. Founded in 1977, the company provides a broad range of health benefits and health care services to individuals, employers, governmental entities and other organizations. Its operations span commercial employer-sponsored plans, individual and Medicare and Medicaid programs, and services for customers and health systems in the United States and selected international markets.

UnitedHealthcare is the company’s benefits business, administering health plans and networks, managing provider relationships, and offering coverage products for employers, individuals, and government-sponsored programs.