UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Stock Holdings Lifted by Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV

Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 1.2% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 12,465 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group accounts for 3.6% of Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV’s portfolio, making the stock its 10th largest position. Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $7,288,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Capital Insight Partners LLC increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. Capital Insight Partners LLC now owns 9,045 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $4,475,000 after acquiring an additional 332 shares in the last quarter. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter valued at $2,905,000. Vantage Investment Partners LLC boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 42.2% in the 1st quarter. Vantage Investment Partners LLC now owns 152,107 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $75,247,000 after buying an additional 45,173 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 13.7% during the third quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 24,976 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $14,603,000 after acquiring an additional 3,006 shares during the period. Finally, Maryland State Retirement & Pension System grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.6% during the first quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 72,689 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $35,126,000 after purchasing an additional 469 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.7 %

Shares of UNH opened at $560.82 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $517.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.54, a P/E/G ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.58. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $436.38 and a 12-month high of $608.63. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $584.16 and a 200-day moving average price of $536.49. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $7.00 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $100.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.14 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The company’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $6.56 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th were issued a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.50%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 54.72%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have issued reports on UNH. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $597.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $604.00 to $603.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $591.00 to $644.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $525.00 to $630.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, KeyCorp started coverage on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, October 11th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $675.00 target price for the company. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $615.53.

UnitedHealth Group Company 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.