Ardsley Advisory Partners LP Acquires Shares of 20,000 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Ardsley Advisory Partners LP purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor purchased 20,000 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock, valued at approximately $10,117,000. UnitedHealth Group makes up 1.6% of Ardsley Advisory Partners LP’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. NewSquare Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH opened at $398.72 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $393.11 and a one year high of $630.73. The business has a fifty day moving average of $495.85 and a 200 day moving average of $528.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.91. The firm has a market capitalization of $362.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.72, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.61.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 the consensus estimate of $111.56 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $6.91 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th were given a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.11%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.18%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have commented on the company. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $540.00 price objective (down previously from $635.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $664.00 to $563.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Finally, Argus downgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have given a buy rating and three have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average 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.