Grimes & Company Inc. Boosts Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Grimes & Company Inc. raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 3.4% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 25,756 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 845 shares during the period. Grimes & Company Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $12,742,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bell Investment Advisors Inc increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 525 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $276,000 after buying an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 35,946 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $17,783,000 after purchasing an additional 1,129 shares during the last quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 16,941 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $8,919,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares during the last quarter. Austin Private Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 9.8% during the 1st quarter. Austin Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,246 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $573,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bellecapital International Ltd. boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Bellecapital International Ltd. now owns 13,823 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $7,277,000 after buying an additional 193 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 4.7 %

UNH opened at $509.26 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a twelve month low of $436.38 and a twelve month high of $554.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $468.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.13, a PEG ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $498.34 and a 200-day moving average price of $501.96.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.63 by $0.28. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 26.50%. The business had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.23 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $6.26 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.55 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on UNH shares. Bank of America reissued 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 shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $591.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, June 12th. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $618.00 to $584.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 5th. Finally, HSBC upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $580.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, June 5th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company 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.