UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Shares Sold by Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc.

Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc. cut its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 65.0% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 3,020 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 5,618 shares during the period. Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,766,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in UNH. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $2,905,000. Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.2% in the third quarter. Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV now owns 12,465 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $7,288,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 13.7% in the third quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 24,976 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $14,603,000 after purchasing an additional 3,006 shares during the period. Americana Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 10.8% in the 3rd quarter. Americana Partners LLC now owns 20,377 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $11,914,000 after buying an additional 1,984 shares during the period. Finally, Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 14.8% in the second quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 9,960 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $5,072,000 after acquiring an additional 1,283 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of UnitedHealth Group stock traded down $4.27 on Tuesday, hitting $601.56. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 320,376 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,861,705. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $582.96 and a 200-day moving average price of $553.99. The company has a market capitalization of $553.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.58. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $436.38 and a 52-week high of $630.73.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.00 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.14 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $6.56 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th will be issued a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 9th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.40%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 54.72%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on UNH shares. Stephens cut their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. StockNews.com downgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. HSBC cut shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Barclays lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $604.00 to $603.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $591.00 to $644.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $615.53.

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.