UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Shares Sold by Carderock Capital Management Inc.

Carderock Capital Management Inc. lessened its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 3.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 11,038 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 376 shares during the period. Carderock Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $5,584,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Bristol Gate Capital Partners Inc. raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 7.2% during the 2nd quarter. Bristol Gate Capital Partners Inc. now owns 184,925 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $94,175,000 after acquiring an additional 12,372 shares in the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 337,254 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $171,750,000 after purchasing an additional 3,348 shares during the last quarter. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 47.4% during the 2nd quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 26,302 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $13,394,000 after buying an additional 8,458 shares during the last quarter. Ieq Capital LLC lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 4.6% in the second quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 62,584 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $31,872,000 after buying an additional 2,775 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.8% during the second quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 39,031 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $19,877,000 after acquiring an additional 1,770 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $510.03 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $551.50 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $562.62. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $436.38 and a 12-month high of $630.73. The firm has a market cap of $469.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.23, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 0.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.81 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.74 by $0.07. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The firm had revenue of $100.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $101.60 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $5.83 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.6 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th were issued a $2.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.65%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 54.72%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have weighed in on UNH shares. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $595.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Hsbc Global Res raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $610.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, December 6th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $610.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Piper Sandler cut their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $605.00 to $600.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $627.74.

UnitedHealth Group 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.