Benjamin Edwards Inc. Sells 101 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Benjamin Edwards Inc. reduced its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 3.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,845 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 101 shares during the period. Benjamin Edwards Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,498,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Bensler LLC raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.3% in the third quarter. Bensler LLC now owns 7,293 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $3,677,000 after buying an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% during the third quarter. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX now owns 1,695 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $855,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,988 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $2,626,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Atlas Private Wealth Advisors raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Atlas Private Wealth Advisors now owns 1,752 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $923,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Prentice Wealth Management LLC raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Prentice Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,347 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,235,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 1.4 %

Shares of NYSE UNH traded up $6.99 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $491.10. The stock had a trading volume of 1,463,929 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,409,753. The business’s 50 day moving average is $483.69 and its 200-day moving average is $513.21. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $436.38 and a 52 week high of $554.70. The company has a market cap of $451.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.98, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.55.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 4.05%. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $6.26 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th were given a $1.88 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 8th. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.53%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 45.97%.

Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total value of $451,127.82. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other UnitedHealth Group news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total transaction of $597,581.28. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,364 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,527,306.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total value of $451,127.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on UNH shares. Truist Financial restated a “buy” rating and set a $600.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. HSBC raised UnitedHealth Group from a “reduce” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $460.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 4th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $618.00 to $584.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 5th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 8th. Finally, Barclays upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $534.00 to $560.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $570.05.

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.