Barclays Boosts UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Price Target to $560.00

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) had its price objective increased by research analysts at Barclays from $534.00 to $560.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “overweight” rating on the healthcare conglomerate’s stock. Barclays‘s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 16.60% from the company’s current price.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on UNH. TD Cowen cut their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $607.00 to $546.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $596.00 to $555.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Truist Financial restated a “buy” rating and set a $600.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $584.00 to $581.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 8th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $571.20.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNH traded up $11.39 on Wednesday, hitting $480.28. The stock had a trading volume of 6,631,769 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,434,561. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $490.31 and its 200-day moving average price is $515.63. The company has a market capitalization of $442.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.79. UnitedHealth Group has a twelve month low of $436.38 and a twelve month high of $554.70.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.37. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 26.39%. The business had revenue of $99.80 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $6.26 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group will post 27.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Kraft Davis & Associates LLC lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 3.4% during the third quarter. Kraft Davis & Associates LLC now owns 577 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $294,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the period. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.6% in the third quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,217 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $614,000 after buying an additional 19 shares during the period. Secure Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.8% in the third quarter. Secure Asset Management LLC now owns 2,456 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,238,000 after buying an additional 19 shares during the period. Bensler LLC increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.3% in the third quarter. Bensler LLC now owns 7,293 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $3,677,000 after buying an additional 19 shares during the period. Finally, Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% in the third quarter. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX now owns 1,695 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $855,000 after buying an additional 19 shares during the period. Institutional investors 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.