Investment Research & Advisory Group Inc. Raises Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Investment Research & Advisory Group Inc. increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 1.8% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 6,167 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 109 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group accounts for approximately 1.4% of Investment Research & Advisory Group Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Investment Research & Advisory Group Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,051,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in UNH. Richelieu Gestion SA bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. CGC Financial Services LLC raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 1,000.0% in the 4th quarter. CGC Financial Services LLC now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the period. True Wealth Design LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 148.1% during the fourth quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA now owns 67 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Finally, Transcendent Capital Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $40,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 4.7 %

Shares of UNH opened at $509.26 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $468.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.13, a P/E/G ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.58. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1 year low of $436.38 and a 1 year high of $554.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $498.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $501.96.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.63 by $0.28. The firm had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 4.05%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $6.26 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 17th were paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.65%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 17th. This is a positive change from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is 51.34%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNH has been the topic of several analyst reports. Bank of America reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $675.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, March 7th. StockNews.com cut UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday. HSBC upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $580.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 5th. Erste Group Bank restated a “hold” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $546.00 to $559.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $579.74.

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.