Cantor Fitzgerald Reiterates “Overweight” Rating for UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH)

Cantor Fitzgerald reissued their overweight rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a $591.00 price target on the healthcare conglomerate’s stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on UNH. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $618.00 to $584.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 5th. Robert W. Baird assumed coverage on UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. They issued an outperform rating and a $597.00 target price on the stock. TD Cowen decreased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $607.00 to $546.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. Truist Financial reissued a buy rating and set a $600.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, May 31st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $579.74.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of UNH stock opened at $497.12 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85. UnitedHealth Group has a 1-year low of $436.38 and a 1-year high of $554.70. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $493.55 and a two-hundred day moving average of $506.14. The firm has a market cap of $457.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.39, a P/E/G ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 0.58.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. The firm had revenue of $99.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 4.05%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $6.26 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group will post 27.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 17th will be given a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 17th. This is a positive change from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.69%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 51.34%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Norges Bank bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth approximately $5,802,231,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 53,573.1% during the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,352,490 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,238,515,000 after acquiring an additional 2,348,107 shares in the last quarter. Swedbank AB acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,117,462,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 107.8% in the first quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,306,729 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,141,113,000 after purchasing an additional 1,196,758 shares during the period. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 49.3% during the fourth quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 3,617,813 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,904,670,000 after acquiring an additional 1,195,352 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.