Proficio Capital Partners LLC Sells 855 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Proficio Capital Partners LLC cut its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 25.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,455 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 855 shares during the quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,436,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Macroview Investment Management LLC grew its position in UnitedHealth Group by 671.4% in the 2nd quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 54 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the period. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 757.1% in the first quarter. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 60 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Global Wealth Strategies & Associates lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 152.4% in the 3rd quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 53 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $615.81 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $436.38 and a 52-week high of $619.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 0.91. The company has a fifty day moving average of $581.93 and a 200-day moving average of $545.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $566.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.58.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced 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 firm had revenue of $100.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.14 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.37% and a net margin of 3.63%. The business’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $6.56 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced 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 1.36%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 9th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 54.72%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on UNH shares. StockNews.com lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $591.00 to $644.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Stephens cut their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $595.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $680.00 to $650.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $615.53.

UnitedHealth Group Company 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.