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

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) – Investment analysts at Zacks Research decreased their Q2 2024 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report issued on Thursday, June 27th. Zacks Research analyst D. Chatterjee now expects that the healthcare conglomerate will post earnings per share of $6.68 for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $6.75. The consensus estimate for UnitedHealth Group’s current full-year earnings is $27.55 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for UnitedHealth Group’s Q4 2024 earnings at $6.71 EPS, Q1 2025 earnings at $7.22 EPS, Q2 2025 earnings at $7.32 EPS, Q4 2025 earnings at $8.25 EPS and Q1 2026 earnings at $8.40 EPS.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $591.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th. Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $675.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, March 7th. Erste Group Bank reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, March 13th. HSBC raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $580.00 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, June 5th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $545.00 to $562.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 19th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $579.74.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $494.43 on Monday. 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 fifty-two week low of $436.38 and a fifty-two week high of $554.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $455.07 billion, a PE ratio of 30.22, a P/E/G ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.60. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $498.34 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $501.63.

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

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Investors of record on Monday, June 17th were paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 17th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.70%. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.34%.

Institutional Trading of UnitedHealth Group

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $5,802,231,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased 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 purchasing an additional 2,348,107 shares during the last quarter. Swedbank AB bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the first quarter valued at $1,117,462,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 107.8% during the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,306,729 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,141,113,000 after acquiring an additional 1,196,758 shares during the period. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 49.3% in 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 purchasing an additional 1,195,352 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.