Costello Asset Management INC Decreases Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Costello Asset Management INC trimmed its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 2.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,545 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 140 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for about 2.2% of Costello Asset Management INC’s holdings, making the stock its 17th largest holding. Costello Asset Management INC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,311,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter worth about $27,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. West Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter worth approximately $32,000. Quarry LP raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 132.1% during the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 65 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. Finally, RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at about $37,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $542.30 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $499.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.91. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $436.38 and a 12 month high of $630.73. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $536.17 and its 200-day moving average is $565.14.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.74 by $0.07. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. The firm had revenue of $100.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $101.60 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $5.83 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.64 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th were issued a $2.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 9th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.55%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 54.19%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on UNH. Hsbc Global Res raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 10th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Oppenheimer upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $610.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, December 6th. TD Cowen upped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $601.00 to $609.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 18th. Finally, HSBC raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $595.00 target price on the stock in a report on Friday, January 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $629.32.

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn acquired 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 17th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $511.57 per share, with a total value of $511,570.00. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 4,500 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,302,065. The trade was a 28.57 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

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.