Q2 2024 Earnings Forecast for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated Issued By Zacks Research (NYSE:UNH)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research reduced their Q2 2024 EPS estimates for shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note issued on Tuesday, April 30th. Zacks Research analyst D. Chatterjee now expects that the healthcare conglomerate will earn $6.77 per share for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $6.91. The consensus estimate for UnitedHealth Group’s current full-year earnings is $27.61 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for UnitedHealth Group’s Q3 2024 earnings at $7.21 EPS, Q4 2024 earnings at $6.62 EPS, FY2024 earnings at $27.51 EPS, FY2025 earnings at $31.08 EPS, Q1 2026 earnings at $8.39 EPS and FY2026 earnings at $35.11 EPS.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on UNH. Bank of America reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $675.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Erste Group Bank reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, March 13th. Oppenheimer restated an “outperform” rating and set a $610.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 8th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 18th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $570.05.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH stock opened at $484.11 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.79. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $483.69 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $513.21. The stock has a market cap of $445.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.59, a P/E/G ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.55. UnitedHealth Group has a one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $554.70.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 26.50%. The business had revenue of $99.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.23 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $6.26 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year.

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 given a $1.88 dividend. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.55%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 45.97%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total value of $451,127.82. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,977,233.31. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total transaction 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. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Richelieu Gestion SA bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Robbins Farley purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. CGC Financial Services LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1,000.0% during the fourth quarter. CGC Financial Services LLC now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. True Wealth Design LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 340.0% during the 3rd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 66 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is 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.