UnitedHealth Group Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:UNH)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) was the target of some unusual options trading on Tuesday. Investors bought 363,909 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 14% compared to the average volume of 317,922 call options.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $347.27 on Thursday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $290.20 and its two-hundred day moving average is $371.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85. UnitedHealth Group has a 1-year low of $234.60 and a 1-year high of $630.73. The company has a market cap of $314.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.45.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 29th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $4.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.45 by ($0.37). UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 23.32% and a net margin of 5.04%.The company had revenue of $111.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $111.75 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $6.80 EPS. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.9% compared to the same quarter last year. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 16.000- EPS. Analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 23rd. Investors of record on Monday, September 15th will be paid a dividend of $2.21 per share. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 15th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 38.30%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Citizens National Bank Trust Department lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. Citizens National Bank Trust Department now owns 17,886 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $9,368,000 after acquiring an additional 170 shares during the period. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH now owns 530,103 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $277,641,000 after buying an additional 1,465 shares during the period. Caitlin John LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 14.8% in the 1st quarter. Caitlin John LLC now owns 862 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $451,000 after buying an additional 111 shares during the period. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $515,000. Finally, Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 47.8% in the 4th quarter. Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC now owns 38,796 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $19,625,000 after buying an additional 12,550 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Baird R W lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 31st. HSBC reissued a “reduce” rating and set a $270.00 target price (down previously from $490.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, May 21st. Hsbc Global Res lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “moderate sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $355.00 to $286.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, KeyCorp decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $350.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $355.77.

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.