UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Shares Purchased by Bailard Inc.

Bailard Inc. increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 1.1% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 78,661 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 829 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group comprises approximately 1.2% of Bailard Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 16th biggest position. Bailard Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $41,413,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of UNH. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 25,220,234 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $12,715,790,000 after buying an additional 527,526 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 9,787,768 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $4,934,895,000 after buying an additional 341,749 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 8,242,282 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $4,155,676,000 after purchasing an additional 180,331 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,843,207 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $2,937,976,000 after purchasing an additional 27,127 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sanders Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 6.5% during the 3rd quarter. Sanders Capital LLC now owns 5,757,410 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $2,902,829,000 after purchasing an additional 352,710 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of UnitedHealth Group stock traded up $1.12 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $487.30. 3,722,296 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,532,990. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1 year low of $436.38 and a 1 year high of $554.70. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $486.90 and its 200 day moving average is $514.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.85. The firm has a market cap of $449.26 billion, a PE ratio of 29.79, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 0.54.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.63 by $0.28. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 4.05%. The business had revenue of $99.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $6.26 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Monday, March 11th were paid a dividend of $1.88 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 8th. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.54%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is currently 45.97%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total transaction of $597,581.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares in the company, valued at $4,527,306.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other UnitedHealth Group news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total value of $451,127.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 32,289 shares in the company, valued at $16,977,233.31. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total transaction of $597,581.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,527,306.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $596.00 to $555.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Piper Sandler boosted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $566.00 to $571.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. StockNews.com lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 18th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $618.00 to $584.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 5th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $570.05.

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.