Northeast Financial Consultants Inc Boosts Stock Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Northeast Financial Consultants Inc raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 0.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 10,606 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after acquiring an additional 96 shares during the period. Northeast Financial Consultants Inc’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $5,365,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Western Pacific Wealth Management LP increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. Western Pacific Wealth Management LP now owns 902 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $456,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the period. MCF Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 2,578 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,304,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares during the period. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC now owns 575 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $291,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares during the period. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,247 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $2,654,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares during the period. Finally, 44 Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. 44 Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,309 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $662,000 after acquiring an additional 21 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 17.8%

Shares of UNH opened at $311.23 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The firm has a market capitalization of $282.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $482.53 and its 200 day simple moving average is $519.28. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a twelve month low of $309.10 and a twelve month high of $630.73.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 EPS 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $111.56 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $6.91 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were given a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.18%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently weighed in on UNH. Argus cut UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 21st. StockNews.com upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Hsbc Global Res cut UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $664.00 to $563.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Finally, Oppenheimer lowered their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $640.00 to $600.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 21st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $596.86.

About UnitedHealth Group

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.