UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Position Reduced by Freedom Together Foundation

Freedom Together Foundation lowered its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 79.9% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 14,355 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 57,000 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group makes up approximately 0.8% of Freedom Together Foundation’s holdings, making the stock its 3rd largest holding. Freedom Together Foundation’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $7,262,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Hudson Valley Investment Advisors Inc. ADV raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 8.9% during the 4th quarter. Hudson Valley Investment Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 26,283 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $13,296,000 after purchasing an additional 2,137 shares during the last quarter. ORG Partners LLC lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 14.6% in the fourth quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 2,139 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,086,000 after acquiring an additional 273 shares during the period. Franklin Street Advisors Inc. NC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 13.8% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Street Advisors Inc. NC now owns 2,122 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,073,000 after purchasing an additional 257 shares in the last quarter. CCM Investment Advisers LLC boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 7.6% during the 4th quarter. CCM Investment Advisers LLC now owns 32,346 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $16,363,000 after purchasing an additional 2,288 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 115.1% in the fourth quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 200 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $101,000 after buying an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $655.00 to $525.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 23rd. Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $640.00 to $510.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 29th. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $700.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, January 17th. Finally, Argus lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $596.86.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $380.72 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $488.01 and a 200 day moving average of $522.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $346.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $378.54 and a 12-month high of $630.73. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. The company had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $111.56 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $6.91 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were paid a $2.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.21%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.18%.

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.