Sfmg LLC Has $771,000 Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Sfmg LLC lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 4.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,464 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 61 shares during the period. Sfmg LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $771,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Ascension Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $216,000. Bellecapital International Ltd. raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1.4% in the fourth quarter. Bellecapital International Ltd. now owns 13,823 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $7,277,000 after purchasing an additional 193 shares during the period. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 5.8% in the third quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 34,297 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $17,292,000 after purchasing an additional 1,884 shares during the period. Rise Advisors LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 326.0% in the fourth quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 213 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $112,000 after purchasing an additional 163 shares during the period. Finally, Gradient Investments LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 6.3% in the fourth quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 84,278 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $44,370,000 after purchasing an additional 5,023 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Oppenheimer reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $610.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $596.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, February 29th. TD Cowen dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $607.00 to $546.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 8th. Finally, Barclays initiated coverage on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, March 6th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $551.00 price objective on the stock. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $573.80.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH traded up $23.26 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $468.89. The stock had a trading volume of 11,816,517 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,248,641. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $490.31 and a 200-day simple moving average of $515.63. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $554.70. The firm has a market cap of $432.28 billion, a PE ratio of 19.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.37. The company had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 26.39%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $6.26 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.69 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Monday, March 11th were issued a dividend of $1.88 per share. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.60%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 31.54%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total transaction of $451,127.82. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,364 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,527,306.72. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total transaction of $451,127.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,977,233.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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.