UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Stock Position Cut by MetLife Investment Management LLC

MetLife Investment Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 2.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 268,869 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 6,279 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group makes up approximately 1.0% of MetLife Investment Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 10th largest holding. MetLife Investment Management LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $129,229,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of UNH. Zullo Investment Group Inc. grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. now owns 3,001 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,443,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Northern Financial Advisors Inc grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. Northern Financial Advisors Inc now owns 3,381 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,625,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Addison Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 9.0% in the 2nd quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 241 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $116,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Signet Financial Management LLC boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 2.2% during the 1st quarter. Signet Financial Management LLC now owns 964 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $491,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the period. Finally, Financial Partners Group Inc boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. Financial Partners Group Inc now owns 509 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $252,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.69% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group

In other news, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 121,515 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $540.58, for a total transaction of $65,688,578.70. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 521,818 shares in the company, valued at approximately $282,084,374.44. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 121,515 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $540.58, for a total transaction of $65,688,578.70. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 521,818 shares in the company, valued at approximately $282,084,374.44. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total value of $2,448,171.44. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 9,218 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,017,173.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of UNH stock traded down $2.05 on Monday, reaching $534.24. 577,052 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,282,324. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $445.68 and a 12-month high of $553.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.80. The company has a market capitalization of $494.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.63. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $519.50 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $498.50.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.56 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.33 by $0.23. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.58% and a net margin of 6.02%. The business had revenue of $92.36 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $91.41 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $5.79 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 14.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 24.94 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 12th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 4th will be paid a $1.88 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 1st. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.41%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 32.64%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on UNH shares. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $580.00 to $584.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, October 16th. HSBC started coverage on UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, September 6th. They set a “hold” rating and a $540.00 target price on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $591.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, September 14th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $572.00 to $596.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, October 16th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $587.00 to $579.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 23rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $576.90.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It 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.