Aspen Wealth Strategies LLC Increases Stock Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Aspen Wealth Strategies LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 1.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,775 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after acquiring an additional 25 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group comprises approximately 0.6% of Aspen Wealth Strategies LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 27th biggest position. Aspen Wealth Strategies LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $898,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. NewSquare Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Promus Capital LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, Pillar Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth about $40,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn bought 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 17th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $511.57 per share, for a total transaction of $511,570.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 4,500 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,302,065. The trade was a 28.57 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently commented on UNH shares. HSBC upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $595.00 price objective for the company in a report on Friday, January 10th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $700.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, January 17th. Truist Financial cut their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $625.00 to $610.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $595.00 to $625.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. Finally, Stephens boosted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $605.00 to $675.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Twenty investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $629.32.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 2.1 %

UNH stock opened at $499.01 on Tuesday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1-year low of $436.38 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 $456.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.19, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.62. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $511.11 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $549.15.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.74 by $0.07. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.69% and a net margin of 3.60%. The business had revenue of $100.81 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $101.60 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $5.83 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th will be given a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.68%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 54.19%.

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.