Maryland State Retirement & Pension System Boosts Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Maryland State Retirement & Pension System boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 0.6% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 72,689 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 469 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group makes up 0.7% of Maryland State Retirement & Pension System’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest position. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $35,126,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 0.4% during the 4th 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 during the period. Atlas Private Wealth Advisors grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Atlas Private Wealth Advisors now owns 1,752 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $923,000 after acquiring an additional 19 shares during the period. Prentice Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of 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. Baker Avenue Asset Management LP raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1.7% in the third quarter. Baker Avenue Asset Management LP now owns 1,219 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $615,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Granite Harbor Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.9% in the 3rd quarter. Granite Harbor Advisors Inc. now owns 718 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $362,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently issued reports on UNH. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $545.00 to $562.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 19th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $591.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th. Erste Group Bank reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, March 13th. Barclays increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $534.00 to $560.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. Finally, HSBC raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $580.00 price target on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 5th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $579.74.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH traded down $2.94 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $486.95. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 362,197 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,246,592. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $436.38 and a 52 week 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 firm has a market capitalization of $448.18 billion, a PE ratio of 29.94, a P/E/G ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 0.60. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $498.61 and a two-hundred day moving average of $500.96.

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

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm 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. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 17th. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.73%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.34%.

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.