California State Teachers Retirement System Lowers Stock Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

California State Teachers Retirement System trimmed its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 2.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,438,416 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 41,052 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up approximately 0.8% of California State Teachers Retirement System’s portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. California State Teachers Retirement System owned approximately 0.16% of UnitedHealth Group worth $727,637,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Northern Trust Corp raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 12.5% in the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 9,503,671 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $4,807,527,000 after purchasing an additional 1,058,488 shares in the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 35.5% in the fourth quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 2,138,094 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,081,576,000 after purchasing an additional 560,607 shares in the last quarter. Optiver Holding B.V. purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $424,000. Bellwether Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $65,000. Finally, Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of UNH opened at $418.20 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $380.66 billion, a PE ratio of 26.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.83. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $412.02 and a fifty-two week high of $630.73. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $503.28 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $534.18.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.69% and a net margin of 3.60%. The business had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $111.56 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $6.91 EPS. Analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.01%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 35.18%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on the stock. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $605.00 to $600.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 2nd. Oppenheimer lowered their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $640.00 to $600.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 21st. Erste Group Bank raised shares of UnitedHealth Group to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $655.00 to $525.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 23rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $664.00 to $563.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have assigned a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $603.05.

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.