UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Shares Bought by DnB Asset Management AS

DnB Asset Management AS raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 9.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 270,758 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 23,391 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group comprises about 0.6% of DnB Asset Management AS’s portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest holding. DnB Asset Management AS’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $136,966,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Howard Capital Management Group LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter worth $341,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 11.3% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,778,636 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,039,933,000 after acquiring an additional 180,479 shares during the period. Algert Global LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter worth $1,763,000. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 7.8% during the 3rd quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 625,411 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $365,665,000 after acquiring an additional 45,195 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

NYSE:UNH opened at $515.89 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.83. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $436.38 and a fifty-two week high of $630.73. The company has a market cap of $471.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.28, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.62. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $508.70 and a 200-day moving average price of $545.16.

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

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were paid a $2.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.63%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 54.19%.

Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group

In other news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn acquired 1,000 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Friday, January 17th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $511.57 per share, with a total value of $511,570.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 4,500 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,302,065. This trade represents a 28.57 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have commented on UNH shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $595.00 to $625.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 3rd. Hsbc Global Res raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $694.00 to $660.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $700.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their price target 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. Twenty analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $629.32.

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.