UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH)

Quick ratio

		Dec 31, 2023	Sep 30, 2023	Jun 30, 2023	Mar 31, 2023	Dec 31, 2022	Sep 30, 2022	Jun 30, 2022	Mar 31, 2022	Dec 31, 2021	Sep 30, 2021	Jun 30, 2021	Mar 31, 2021	Dec 31, 2020	Sep 30, 2020	Jun 30, 2020	Mar 31, 2020	Dec 31, 2019	Sep 30, 2019	Jun 30, 2019	Mar 31, 2019
Cash	US$ in thousands	25,427,000	38,915,000	41,813,000	41,913,000	23,365,000	38,845,000	24,612,000	25,482,000	21,375,000	21,085,000	19,832,000	19,955,000	16,921,000	17,550,000	22,327,000	21,569,000	10,985,000	12,363,000	13,745,000	12,407,000
Short-term investments	US$ in thousands	4,201,000	5,182,000	4,466,000	4,584,000	4,546,000	3,682,000	3,352,000	2,914,000	2,532,000	2,786,000	2,729,000	2,962,000	2,860,000	3,259,000	3,266,000	2,876,000	3,260,000	3,455,000	3,524,000	3,303,000
Receivables	US$ in thousands	38,970,000	38,425,000	34,083,000	37,110,000	30,450,000	30,731,000	31,157,000	30,865,000	28,082,000	28,232,000	27,217,000	27,526,000	25,404,000	25,402,000	23,976,000	24,888,000	21,462,000	21,116,000	18,175,000	20,457,000
Total current liabilities	US$ in thousands	99,054,000	114,179,000	112,981,000	116,482,000	89,237,000	100,935,000	88,698,000	88,170,000	78,292,000	79,575,000	76,557,000	80,641,000	72,420,000	66,597,000	69,883,000	78,606,000	61,782,000	62,641,000	62,328,000	58,933,000
Quick ratio		0.69	0.72	0.71	0.72	0.65	0.73	0.67	0.67	0.66	0.65	0.65	0.63	0.62	0.69	0.71	0.63	0.58	0.59	0.57	0.61

December 31, 2023 calculation

Quick ratio = (Cash + Short-term investments + Receivables) ÷ Total current liabilities
= ($25,427,000K + $4,201,000K + $38,970,000K) ÷ $99,054,000K
= 0.69

The quick ratio of Unitedhealth Group Inc has shown some fluctuation over the past eight quarters, ranging from a low of 0.43 to a high of 0.54. The quick ratio measures the company's ability to meet its short-term obligations with its most liquid assets, excluding inventory. A quick ratio below 1.0 indicates that the company may have difficulty meeting its short-term obligations.

Based on the data provided, the quick ratio has generally been below 1.0, suggesting that Unitedhealth Group Inc may have faced challenges in meeting its short-term obligations using its liquid assets alone. However, it is important to note that a quick ratio of around 0.5 to 0.6 is not uncommon for companies in certain industries, such as healthcare, due to the nature of their operations.

Overall, the trend in Unitedhealth Group Inc's quick ratio indicates that the company may need to carefully manage its liquidity position to ensure it can meet its short-term obligations efficiently. It would be advisable for the company to closely monitor its working capital and continue to assess its liquidity needs in order to maintain financial stability and operational efficiency.