HighPoint Advisor Group LLC Grows Position in Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM)

HighPoint Advisor Group LLC lifted its holdings in Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM) by 6.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,509 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after buying an additional 87 shares during the period. HighPoint Advisor Group LLC’s holdings in Humana were worth $388,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of HUM. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. purchased a new position in Humana in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Centricity Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Humana during the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA boosted its stake in Humana by 56.3% during the fourth quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA now owns 125 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new stake in Humana in the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Atwood & Palmer Inc. increased its stake in shares of Humana by 64.5% in the 4th quarter. Atwood & Palmer Inc. now owns 153 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. 92.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Humana Stock Performance

NYSE:HUM opened at $265.20 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $32.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.05 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a quick ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 1.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. Humana Inc. has a 52 week low of $213.31 and a 52 week high of $406.46. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $268.97 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $272.62.

Humana (NYSE:HUM) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The insurance provider reported ($2.16) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($2.26) by $0.10. Humana had a return on equity of 11.70% and a net margin of 1.02%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Humana Inc. will post 16.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Humana Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 25th. Investors of record on Friday, March 28th will be paid a $0.885 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 28th. This represents a $3.54 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.33%. Humana’s dividend payout ratio is currently 35.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on HUM. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $283.00 price objective on shares of Humana in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. StockNews.com cut shares of Humana from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 18th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Humana from $301.00 to $285.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on Humana from $257.00 to $256.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on Humana from $255.00 to $270.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 13th. Eighteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $285.68.

Humana Company Profile

Humana Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides medical and specialty insurance products in the United States. It operates through two segments, Insurance and CenterWell. The company offers medical and supplemental benefit plans to individuals. It has a contract with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to administer the Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition prescription drug plan program; and contracts with various states to provide Medicaid, dual eligible, and long-term support services benefits.