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UnitedHealth Group Reports First Quarter Results

April 19, 2016 5:55 AM

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) today reported first quarter results, highlighted by strong execution, consistent operating performance and compelling product and service offerings driving broad-based growth across the Company.

“Our commitment and determination to constantly improve how we serve customers and consumers in health benefits and services is reflected in consistent, market-leading organic growth and strong levels of customer retention in the first quarter,” said Stephen J. Hemsley, chief executive officer of UnitedHealth Group.

Based on the first quarter results and business trends, the Company now expects 2016 revenues of approximately $182 billion and adjusted net earnings in a range of $7.75 to $7.95 per share. The increase in the outlook for adjusted net earnings of $0.15 per share is due to changes in the expected income tax rate and intangible amortization. Management affirmed its outlook for strong cash flows from operations of up to $10 billion.

Quarterly Financial Performance
Three Months Ended
March 31, March 31, December 31,

2016

2015

2015

Revenues $44.5 billion $35.8 billion $43.6 billion
Earnings From Operations $3.0 billion $2.6 billion $2.5 billion
Net Margin 3.6% 4.0% 2.8%

UnitedHealthcare provides health care benefits, serving individuals and employers ranging from sole proprietorships to large, multi-site and national and international organizations; delivers health and well-being benefits to Medicare beneficiaries and retirees; manages health care benefit programs on behalf of state Medicaid and community programs; and serves the nation’s military service members, retirees and their families through the TRICARE program.

Quarterly Financial Performance
Three Months Ended
March 31, March 31, December 31,

2016

2015

2015

Revenues $35.9 billion $32.6 billion $32.8 billion
Earnings From Operations $1.9 billion $1.9 billion $949 million
Operating Margin 5.2% 5.8% 2.9%

UnitedHealthcare continues to consistently grow as more customers choose its products and services, due to the combination of distinctive service, product innovation and integrated clinical and network value they offer. UnitedHealthcare has developed a balanced mix of business across the commercial, government and international markets, reflecting its deliberate strategy of diversifying and serving the breadth of needs in those markets.

UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual

UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement

UnitedHealthcare Community & State

Optum is a health services business serving the broad health care marketplace, including payers, care providers, employers, governments, life sciences companies and consumers. Using advanced data analytics and technology, Optum’s people help improve overall health system performance: optimizing care quality, reducing costs and improving the consumer experience and care provider performance.

Quarterly Financial Performance
Three Months Ended
March 31, March 31, December 31,

2016

2015

2015

Revenues $19.7 billion $12.8 billion $21.9 billion
Earnings From Operations $1.1 billion $742 million $1.5 billion
Operating Margin 5.6% 5.8% 6.9%

Optum’s growth continues to reflect its differentiated capabilities and comprehensive solutions for stakeholders broadly across the health care system, both domestically and abroad.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping make the health system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter.

Earnings Conference Call

As previously announced, UnitedHealth Group will discuss the Company’s results, strategy and future outlook on a conference call with investors at 8:45 a.m. Eastern Time today. UnitedHealth Group will host a live webcast of this conference call from the Investors page of the Company’s website (www.unitedhealthgroup.com). Following the call, a webcast replay will be available on the same site through May 3, 2016. The conference call replay can also be accessed by dialing 1-800-283-9429. This earnings release and the Form 8-K dated April 19, 2016 can also be accessed from the Investors page of the Company’s website.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This news release presents information about the Company’s adjusted net earnings per share, which is a non-GAAP financial measure provided as a complement to the results provided in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). A reconciliation of the foregoing non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is provided in the accompanying tables found at the end of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements, estimates, projections, guidance or outlook contained in this document include “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA). These statements are intended to take advantage of the “safe harbor” provisions of the PSLRA. Generally the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “plan,” “project,” “should” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. These statements may contain information about financial prospects, economic conditions and trends and involve risks and uncertainties. We caution that actual results could differ materially from those that management expects, depending on the outcome of certain factors.

Some factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements include: our ability to effectively estimate, price for and manage our medical costs, including the impact of any new coverage requirements; new laws or regulations, or changes in existing laws or regulations, or their enforcement or application, including increases in medical, administrative, technology or other costs or decreases in enrollment resulting from U.S., Brazilian and other jurisdictions’ regulations affecting the health care industry; assessments for insolvent payers under state guaranty fund laws; our ability to achieve improvement in CMS Star ratings and other quality scores that impact revenue; reductions in revenue or delays to cash flows received under Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE programs, including sequestration and the effects of a prolonged U.S. government shutdown or debt ceiling constraints; changes in Medicare, including changes in payment methodology, the CMS Star ratings program or the application of risk adjustment data validation audits; our participation in federal and state health insurance exchanges which entail uncertainties associated with mix and volume of business; cyber-attacks or other privacy or data security incidents; failure to comply with privacy and data security regulations; regulatory and other risks and uncertainties of the pharmacy benefits management industry; competitive pressures, which could affect our ability to maintain or increase our market share; challenges to our public sector contract awards; our ability to execute contracts on competitive terms with physicians, hospitals and other service providers; failure to achieve targeted operating cost productivity improvements, including savings resulting from technology enhancement and administrative modernization; increases in costs and other liabilities associated with increased litigation, government investigations, audits or reviews; failure to manage successfully our strategic alliances or complete or receive anticipated benefits of acquisitions and other strategic transactions, including our acquisition of Catamaran; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates on our reported shareholders’ equity and results of operations; downgrades in our credit ratings; adverse economic conditions, including decreases in enrollment resulting from increases in the unemployment rate and commercial attrition; the performance of our investment portfolio; impairment of the value of our goodwill and intangible assets in connection with dispositions or if estimated future results do not adequately support goodwill and intangible assets recorded for our existing businesses or the businesses that we acquire; increases in health care costs resulting from large-scale medical emergencies; failure to maintain effective and efficient information systems or if our technology products do not operate as intended; and our ability to obtain sufficient funds from our regulated subsidiaries or the debt or capital markets to fund our obligations, to maintain our debt to total capital ratio at targeted levels, to maintain our quarterly dividend payment cycle or to continue repurchasing shares of our common stock.

This list of important factors is not intended to be exhaustive. We discuss certain of these matters more fully, as well as certain risk factors that may affect our business operations, financial condition and results of operations, in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Any or all forward-looking statements we make may turn out to be wrong, and can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. By their nature, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict or quantify. Actual future results may vary materially from expectations expressed or implied in this document or any of our prior communications. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We do not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws.

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP
Earnings Release Schedules and Supplementary Information
Quarter Ended March 31, 2016
- Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
- Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
- Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
- Supplemental Financial Information - Businesses
- Supplemental Financial Information - Business Metrics
- Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure
UNITEDHEALTH GROUP
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended March 31,
2016 2015
Revenues
Premiums $ 34,811 $ 31,674
Products 6,393 1,230
Services 3,140 2,706
Investment and other income 183 146
Total revenues 44,527 35,756
Operating costs
Medical costs 28,430 25,790
Operating costs 6,758 5,834
Cost of products sold 5,877 1,114
Depreciation and amortization 502 378
Total operating costs 41,567 33,116
Earnings from operations 2,960 2,640
Interest expense (259 ) (150 )
Earnings before income taxes 2,701 2,490
Provision for income taxes (1,074 ) (1,077 )
Net earnings 1,627 1,413
Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests (16 ) -

Net earnings attributable to UnitedHealth Group common shareholders

$

1,611

$ 1,413

Diluted earnings per share attributable to UnitedHealth Group common shareholders

$ 1.67 $ 1.46

Adjusted earnings per share attributable to UnitedHealth Group common shareholders (a)

$ 1.81 $ 1.55
Diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding 967 969

(a) See page 6 for a reconciliation of non-GAAP measure

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in millions)
(unaudited)
March 31, December 31,
2016 2015 (a)
Assets
Cash and short-term investments $ 13,014 $ 12,911
Accounts receivable, net 7,777 6,523
Other current assets 12,954 12,205
Total current assets 33,745 31,639
Long-term investments 20,895 18,792
Other long-term assets 63,215 60,823
Total assets $ 117,855 $ 111,254
Liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity
Medical costs payable $ 15,823 $ 14,330
Commercial paper and current maturities of long-term debt 6,504 6,634
Other current liabilities 23,958 21,934
Total current liabilities 46,285 42,898
Long-term debt, less current maturities 27,218 25,331
Other long-term liabilities 7,461 7,564
Redeemable noncontrolling interests 1,824 1,736
Equity 35,067 33,725
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity $ 117,855 $ 111,254

(a) The Company reclassified $129 of debt issuance costs related to the adoption of a new GAAP standard.

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in millions)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended

March 31,

2016 2015
Operating Activities
Net earnings $ 1,627 $ 1,413
Noncash items:
Depreciation and amortization 502 378
Deferred income taxes and other 151 78
Share-based compensation 157 125
Net changes in operating assets and liabilities (119 ) 275
Cash flows from operating activities 2,318 2,269
Investing Activities
Purchases of investments, net of sales and maturities (2,073 ) (545 )
Purchases of property, equipment and capitalized software (425 ) (373 )
Cash paid for acquisitions, net (1,697 ) (575 )
Other, net 14 (32 )
Cash flows used for investing activities (4,181 ) (1,525 )
Financing Activities
Common share repurchases (500 ) (896 )
Dividends paid (477 ) (357 )
Net change in commercial paper and long-term debt 1,599 778
Other, net 880 971
Cash flows from financing activities 1,502 496
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 34 (85 )
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (327 ) 1,155
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 10,923 7,495
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 10,596 $ 8,650
UNITEDHEALTH GROUP
SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION - BUSINESSES
(in millions, except percentages)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended

March 31,

2016 2015
Revenues
UnitedHealthcare $ 35,900 $ 32,623
Optum 19,684 12,815
Eliminations (11,057 ) (9,682 )
Total consolidated revenues $ 44,527 $ 35,756
Earnings from Operations
UnitedHealthcare $ 1,854 $ 1,898
Optum (a) 1,106 742
Total consolidated earnings from operations $ 2,960 $ 2,640
Operating Margin
UnitedHealthcare 5.2 % 5.8 %
Optum 5.6 % 5.8 %
Consolidated operating margin 6.6 % 7.4 %
Revenues
UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual $ 12,820 $ 11,423
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement 14,065 12,781
UnitedHealthcare Community & State 7,728 6,905
UnitedHealthcare Global 1,287 1,514
OptumHealth 3,998 3,289
OptumInsight 1,667 1,390
OptumRx 14,273 8,295
Optum eliminations (254 ) (159 )

(a) Earnings from operations for Optum for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 included $300 and $234 for OptumHealth; $246 and $222 for OptumInsight; and $560 and $286 for OptumRx, respectively.

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP
SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION - BUSINESS METRICS
UNITEDHEALTHCARE CUSTOMER PROFILE
(in thousands)
People Served March 31, 2016 March 31, 2015 December 31, 2015
Commercial risk-based 8,600 8,115 8,285
Commercial fee-based, including TRICARE 21,825 21,315 21,445

Total Commercial 30,425 29,430 29,730
Medicare Advantage 3,530 3,205 3,235
Medicaid 5,450 5,040 5,305
Medicare Supplement (Standardized) 4,200 3,930 4,035
Total Public and Senior 13,180 12,175 12,575
Total UnitedHealthcare - Domestic Medical 43,605 41,605 42,305
International 4,065 4,160 4,090
Total UnitedHealthcare - Medical 47,670 45,765 46,395
Supplemental Data
Medicare Part D stand-alone 4,990 5,105 5,060
OPTUM PERFORMANCE METRICS
March 31, 2016 March 31, 2015 June 30, 2015 September 30, 2015 December 31, 2015
OptumHealth Consumers Served (in millions) 79 71 76 77 78
OptumInsight Contract Backlog (in billions) $ 11.0 $ 9.1 $ 9.8 $ 10.2 $ 10.4
OptumRx Quarterly Adjusted Scripts (in millions) 252 147 148 226 258

Note: UnitedHealth Group served 132 million unique individuals across all businesses at March 31, 2016, 129 million at December 31, 2015, and 101 million at March 31, 2015.

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE
ADJUSTED NET EARNINGS AND EARNINGS PER SHARE (a)
(in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited)

Three Months Ended

Projected

Year Ended

March 31, 2016 March 31, 2015 December 31, 2016
GAAP net earnings $ 1,611 $ 1,413 $6,950 to $7,200
Intangible amortization, net of tax effects 140 86 ~550
Adjusted net earnings $ 1,751 $ 1,499 $7,500 to $7,750
GAAP diluted earnings per share $ 1.67 $ 1.46 $7.20 to $7.40
Intangible amortization, net of tax effects per share 0.14 0.09 ~0.55
Adjusted diluted earnings per share $ 1.81 $ 1.55 $7.75 to $7.95

(a) GAAP and adjusted net earnings and earnings per share are attributable to UnitedHealth Group common shareholders.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measure
Adjusted earnings per share is a non-GAAP financial measure and should not be considered a substitute for or superior to a financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. Management believes that the use of adjusted earnings per share provides investors and management useful information about the earnings impact of acquisition-related intangible asset amortization. This non-GAAP measure does not reflect all of the expenses associated with the operations of our business as determined in accordance with GAAP. As a result, one should not consider this measure in isolation.

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UnitedHealth Group

Investors:

Brett Manderfeld, 952-936-7216

Vice President

or

John S. Penshorn, 952-936-7214

Senior Vice President

or

Media:

Don Nathan, 952-936-1885

Senior Vice President

or

Tyler Mason, 424-333-6122

Vice President

Source: UnitedHealth Group

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