UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH Shares Sold by Markel Group Inc.

Markel Group Inc. lowered its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 5.4% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 26,500 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 1,514 shares during the quarter. Markel Group Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $8,267,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bayforest Capital Ltd lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% during the 1st quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares during the period. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 416.7% in the 1st quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 62 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 80.9% in the 2nd quarter. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc now owns 123 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Kentucky Trust Co boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 53.8% in the 2nd quarter. Kentucky Trust Co now owns 143 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Finally, O Brien Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 74.0% during the 1st quarter. O Brien Wealth Partners LLC now owns 87 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $46,000 after buying an additional 37 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.8%

Shares of UNH opened at $368.74 on Wednesday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $234.60 and a 52-week high of $630.73. The company has a market capitalization of $333.95 billion, a PE ratio of 15.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.47. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $340.88 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $332.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.87 by $0.05. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 23.32% and a net margin of 5.04%.The business had revenue of $113.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $113.19 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $7.15 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast 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, September 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 15th were paid a $2.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 15th. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 38.30%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on UNH. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $317.00 to $409.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $325.00 to $395.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, September 12th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $440.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Tuesday, August 26th. Baird R W lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 31st. Finally, Bank of America increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $350.00 to $390.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Eighteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $389.29.

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.