Summary
UnitedHealth Group's (UNH) third-quarter 2011 report indicates a period of solid revenue growth, primarily driven by its UnitedHealthcare and Optum segments. Total revenues increased by 7% year-over-year to $25.3 billion for the quarter, and by 8% to $75.9 billion for the first nine months. This growth was fueled by an increase in premium revenues from risk-based offerings and expanding services across the Optum platform. Despite revenue growth, net earnings remained relatively flat for the quarter at $1.3 billion, though they saw an 8% increase to $3.9 billion for the nine-month period. The company's balance sheet shows a substantial increase in cash and cash equivalents to $13.7 billion from $9.1 billion at the end of 2010, alongside growth in total assets. Medical costs also rose, reflecting increased membership and service costs, although favorable medical cost development contributed positively to the results. Management highlighted continued focus on cost management and operational efficiencies across its diverse business units.
Financial Highlights
52 data points| Revenue | $25.28B |
| Cost of Revenue | $609.00M |
| Gross Profit | $24.67B |
| SG&A Expenses | $3.90B |
| Operating Expenses | $23.21B |
| Operating Income | $2.07B |
| Interest Expense | $129.00M |
| Net Income | $1.27B |
| EPS (Basic) | $1.19 |
| EPS (Diluted) | $1.17 |
| Shares Outstanding (Basic) | 1.06B |
| Shares Outstanding (Diluted) | 1.08B |
Key Highlights
- 1Total revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, increased by 8% to $75.9 billion, driven by both UnitedHealthcare and Optum segments.
- 2Net earnings for the nine months increased by 8% to $3.9 billion, or $3.56 per diluted share, up from $3.59 billion or $3.15 per diluted share in the prior year.
- 3Cash and cash equivalents significantly increased to $13.7 billion as of September 30, 2011, compared to $9.1 billion at December 31, 2010.
- 4UnitedHealthcare served 34.4 million individuals, an increase of 5% over the prior year, reflecting growth in commercial, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid enrollments.
- 5The Optum platform (OptumHealth, OptumInsight, OptumRx) demonstrated strong revenue growth of 20% for the nine-month period, contributing to the overall company performance.
- 6The company repurchased approximately 46 million shares for $2.1 billion during the nine months ended September 30, 2011, demonstrating a commitment to shareholder returns.
- 7Medical costs increased by 8% for the nine months, consistent with revenue growth, but were partially offset by favorable medical cost development related to prior fiscal years.