Legacy Wealth Management LLC MS Reduces Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Legacy Wealth Management LLC MS decreased its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 2.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 8,244 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 247 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group makes up 1.7% of Legacy Wealth Management LLC MS’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th largest holding. Legacy Wealth Management LLC MS’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $4,170,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at $27,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 152.4% during the third quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 53 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. West Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, Quarry LP raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 132.1% in the second quarter. Quarry LP now owns 65 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 37 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

UnitedHealth Group stock traded up $3.42 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $516.42. 844,126 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,588,722. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1-year low of $436.38 and a 1-year high of $630.73. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The firm has a market cap of $475.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.64, a P/E/G ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.62. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $559.83 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $561.31.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 company had revenue of $100.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.14 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $6.56 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th were paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.63%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 54.72%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $595.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $610.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Stephens boosted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $605.00 to $675.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $610.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, December 6th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $627.58.

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.