UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Shares Sold by Shell Asset Management Co.

Shell Asset Management Co. reduced its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 0.5% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 68,152 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 375 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group comprises approximately 1.5% of Shell Asset Management Co.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest holding. Shell Asset Management Co.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $34,475,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. R.H. Investment Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth about $3,483,000. Oak Thistle LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth about $563,000. Nabity Jensen Investment Management Inc increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. Nabity Jensen Investment Management Inc now owns 2,736 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,384,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Wiser Wealth Management Inc boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 14.5% during the 4th quarter. Wiser Wealth Management Inc now owns 482 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $244,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the last quarter. Finally, ARS Wealth Advisors Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. ARS Wealth Advisors Group LLC now owns 27,646 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $13,985,000 after buying an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 11.1%

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $273.96 on Friday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $474.72 and its 200-day moving average is $515.82. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1 year low of $248.88 and a 1 year high of $630.73. 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 company has a market capitalization of $248.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56.

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

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.07%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 35.18%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently issued reports on UNH. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $510.00 to $356.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Truist Financial dropped their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $660.00 to $580.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $700.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Bank of America lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $560.00 to $350.00 in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Argus lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 21st. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $508.38.

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.