UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Stake Raised by Utah Retirement Systems

Utah Retirement Systems increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 0.2% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 152,554 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 361 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group makes up about 0.9% of Utah Retirement Systems’ portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest position. Utah Retirement Systems’ holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $77,171,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in UNH. Howard Capital Management Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $341,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 11.3% in the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,778,636 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,039,933,000 after acquiring an additional 180,479 shares in the last quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 8.2% in the 3rd quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 635 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $371,000 after buying an additional 48 shares during the period. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. now owns 1,275 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $746,000 after buying an additional 46 shares during the period. Finally, Tudor Financial Inc. bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $900,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH stock opened at $409.23 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.83. The company has a market capitalization of $372.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.61. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $499.59 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $532.08. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $409.10 and a 52 week high of $630.73.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly 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). The business had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.56 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.69% and a net margin of 3.60%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $6.91 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.05%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 35.18%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Truist Financial lowered their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $660.00 to $580.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $540.00 target price (down previously from $635.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Monday, April 21st. Hsbc Global Res lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Oppenheimer decreased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $640.00 to $600.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 21st. Finally, Mizuho raised their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $650.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $596.86.

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.