Griffin Asset Management Inc. Buys 50 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Griffin Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 16,025 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the quarter. Griffin Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $9,369,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Swedbank AB acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter valued at approximately $1,117,462,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 107.8% during the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,306,729 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,141,113,000 after buying an additional 1,196,758 shares in the last quarter. Lone Pine Capital LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at about $480,903,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 30.0% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,816,254 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,942,956,000 after acquiring an additional 880,183 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baillie Gifford & Co. grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1,125.4% during the 2nd quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 894,006 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $455,281,000 after purchasing an additional 821,050 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $554.45 on Wednesday. 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 one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $608.63. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $584.11 and a 200 day simple moving average of $532.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $510.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.89, a PEG ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.58.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.66% and a return on equity of 26.55%. The business had revenue of $100.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.14 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $6.56 EPS. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th were issued a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.52%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 51.34%.

Insider Activity

In other UnitedHealth Group news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $579.03, for a total transaction of $868,545.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 7,785 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,507,748.55. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNH has been the subject of several research analyst reports. HSBC upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $580.00 to $610.00 in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Argus boosted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $570.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $481.00 to $647.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $597.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $591.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $617.37.

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.