Crestone Asset Management LLC Acquires 24 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Crestone Asset Management LLC grew its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 5.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 471 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 24 shares during the quarter. Crestone Asset Management LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $248,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Patrick M Sweeney & Associates Inc. acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,025,000. Sovereign Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 6.3% during the 4th quarter. Sovereign Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,078 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,094,000 after acquiring an additional 124 shares during the last quarter. Simmons Bank grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 11.6% during the 4th quarter. Simmons Bank now owns 10,795 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $5,683,000 after acquiring an additional 1,123 shares during the last quarter. Centric Wealth Management grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 5.1% during the 4th quarter. Centric Wealth Management now owns 6,966 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $3,504,000 after acquiring an additional 338 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,984,853 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $3,143,004,000 after acquiring an additional 141,646 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 0.4 %

NYSE UNH traded up $2.25 on Wednesday, hitting $503.21. 2,942,905 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,362,104. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.85. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $481.45 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $511.98. The firm has a market capitalization of $462.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.62, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.55. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $436.38 and a 52-week high of $554.70.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 26.50%. The company had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $6.26 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group’s quarterly revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 11th were paid a dividend of $1.88 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 8th. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.49%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 45.97%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on UNH shares. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 8th. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $610.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $675.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, March 7th. TD Cowen lowered their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $607.00 to $546.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $591.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $570.05.

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

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

About UnitedHealth Group

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.