Daiwa Securities Group Inc. Boosts Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 16.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 208,493 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after acquiring an additional 28,850 shares during the period. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $121,902,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter worth about $2,905,000. Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1.2% in the third quarter. Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV now owns 12,465 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $7,288,000 after buying an additional 150 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake 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 worth $14,603,000 after buying an additional 3,006 shares during the period. Americana Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 10.8% during the 3rd quarter. Americana Partners LLC now owns 20,377 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $11,914,000 after acquiring an additional 1,984 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 14.8% in the 2nd quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 9,960 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $5,072,000 after purchasing an additional 1,283 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 1.1 %

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $590.87 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $543.77 billion, a PE ratio of 38.49, a PEG ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.58. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $630.73. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $582.63 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $552.95.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released 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. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The firm had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.14 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $6.56 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th will be paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.42%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 9th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 54.72%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. UBS Group lowered their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $680.00 to $650.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Hsbc Global Res cut UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $591.00 to $644.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $601.00 to $609.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 18th. Finally, Stephens lowered their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $615.53.

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.