UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Stake Decreased by Birch Capital Management LLC

Birch Capital Management LLC lessened its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 1.2% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 7,069 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 89 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for about 1.8% of Birch Capital Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th biggest holding. Birch Capital Management LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,497,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Paralel Advisors LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% during the third quarter. Paralel Advisors LLC now owns 4,047 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $2,040,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at $278,000. Dark Forest Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at $1,095,000. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 7.3% in the third quarter. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,479 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $746,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Syntax Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.0% in the third quarter. Syntax Advisors LLC now owns 546 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $275,000 after buying an additional 21 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have issued reports on UNH. Truist Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $600.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $545.00 to $562.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 19th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 8th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $618.00 to $584.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted 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 investment 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’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $579.74.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 0.9 %

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $486.80 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $448.05 billion, a PE ratio of 29.50, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1 year low of $436.38 and a 1 year high of $554.70. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $497.01 and a 200 day moving average price of $503.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 26.50%. The business’s revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $6.26 EPS. Analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.57 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 17th will be given a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 17th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.73%. This is a positive change from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio 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.