Maple Capital Management Inc. Lowers Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Maple Capital Management Inc. decreased its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 3.6% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 66,413 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 2,448 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group comprises about 1.4% of Maple Capital Management Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest position. Maple Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $20,719,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% in the first quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 416.7% in the first quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 62 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 50 shares during the period. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 80.9% during the 2nd quarter. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc now owns 123 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the period. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 53.8% in the 2nd quarter. Kentucky Trust Co now owns 143 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH opened at $326.95 on Wednesday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $234.60 and a 12 month high of $624.48. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $346.44 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $320.53. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The company has a market cap of $296.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.06, a P/E/G ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.47.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.92 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.87 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $113.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $113.19 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 19.23% and a net margin of 4.04%.UnitedHealth Group’s revenue was up 12.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $7.15 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 8th will be given a $2.21 dividend. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 46.14%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNH has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Robert W. Baird restated an “underperform” rating and issued a $198.00 price objective (down previously from $312.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, July 31st. Oppenheimer dropped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $325.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $310.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $267.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $325.00 to $395.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, September 12th. Eighteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $397.12.

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.