MEAG MUNICH ERGO Kapitalanlagegesellschaft mbH Raises Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

MEAG MUNICH ERGO Kapitalanlagegesellschaft mbH increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 13.8% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 119,665 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 14,489 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group accounts for 2.1% of MEAG MUNICH ERGO Kapitalanlagegesellschaft mbH’s holdings, making the stock its 10th biggest holding. MEAG MUNICH ERGO Kapitalanlagegesellschaft mbH’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $59,198,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in UnitedHealth Group by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 83,860,515 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $44,150,045,000 after acquiring an additional 250,291 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 25,220,234 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $12,715,790,000 after buying an additional 527,526 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 2.2% in the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 15,122,203 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $7,961,369,000 after acquiring an additional 324,733 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.8% during the fourth quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 11,860,985 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $6,244,158,000 after acquiring an additional 542,424 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth approximately $5,802,231,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

NYSE UNH opened at $498.13 on Wednesday. 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’s fifty day moving average price is $498.40 and its 200 day moving average price is $501.35. The company has a market cap of $458.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.45, a PEG ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.60. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1 year low of $436.38 and a 1 year high of $554.70.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued 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 return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 4.05%. The firm had revenue of $99.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $6.26 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.55 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 17th were given a dividend of $2.10 per share. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.69%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 17th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.34%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on UNH shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $591.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, June 12th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price 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. Baird R W upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Barclays upped their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $534.00 to $560.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $596.00 to $555.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $579.74.

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.