Asset Dedication LLC Lowers Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Asset Dedication LLC cut its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 4.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 10,758 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 469 shares during the quarter. Asset Dedication LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $5,635,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, Copia Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $42,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 1.4%

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $303.81 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1 year low of $248.88 and a 1 year high of $630.73. The firm has a market capitalization of $275.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $314.52 and its 200-day moving average price is $440.43.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 5.39% and a return on equity of 26.29%. The firm had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $111.56 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $6.91 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 16th were paid a $2.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 16th. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $2.10. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.91%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 37.02%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Bank of America downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $560.00 to $350.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. Baird R W lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 11th. Wolfe Research dropped their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $501.00 to $390.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, May 20th. Argus lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $521.00 to $362.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $415.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 589 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.00, for a total transaction of $179,645.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 10,398 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,171,390. This trade represents a 5.36% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn acquired 1,533 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 14th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $320.80 per share, with a total value of $491,786.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 6,033 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,935,386.40. The trade was a 34.07% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders acquired 109,408 shares of company stock worth $31,607,768. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

UnitedHealth Group 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.