Liberty One Investment Management LLC Grows Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Liberty One Investment Management LLC boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 18.1% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 7,370 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,129 shares during the period. Liberty One Investment Management LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,753,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 757.1% during the 1st quarter. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 60 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares during the period. True Wealth Design LLC bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter worth about $31,000. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 40.0% during the second quarter. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC now owns 63 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Red Tortoise LLC lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 45.1% in the 1st quarter. Red Tortoise LLC now owns 74 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 0.3 %

NYSE:UNH traded up $1.87 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $580.65. The company had a trading volume of 1,640,788 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,197,153. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.88. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $436.38 and a 52 week high of $591.54. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $531.06 and a 200 day moving average price of $507.93. The company has a market capitalization of $536.18 billion, a PE ratio of 35.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 0.59.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.80 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.66 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $98.86 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $98.73 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.66% and a return on equity of 26.55%. The company’s revenue was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $6.14 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be issued a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.45%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 51.34%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other UnitedHealth Group news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $579.03, for a total transaction of $868,545.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 7,785 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,507,748.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $579.03, for a total value of $868,545.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 7,785 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,507,748.55. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 2,851 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $569.88, for a total transaction of $1,624,727.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 29,501 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,812,029.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on UNH shares. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $595.00 to $615.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. HSBC increased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $580.00 to $610.00 in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Argus lifted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $570.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their target price for the company from $481.00 to $647.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $597.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $614.17.

UnitedHealth Group Company 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.