UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Shares Sold by MetLife Investment Management LLC

MetLife Investment Management LLC cut its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 2.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 242,904 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 5,487 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group comprises approximately 0.8% of MetLife Investment Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest holding. MetLife Investment Management LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $142,021,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of UNH. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at $27,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 152.4% during the 3rd quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 53 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 671.4% in the second quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 54 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 47 shares in the last quarter. West Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth approximately $31,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

NYSE UNH opened at $608.54 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1 year low of $436.38 and a 1 year high of $630.73. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $583.53 and a 200 day simple moving average of $554.65. The company has a market cap of $560.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.64, a P/E/G ratio of 1.78 and a beta of 0.58.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The business had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.14 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $6.56 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.6 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company 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 $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.38%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 9th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 54.72%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. HSBC lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. KeyCorp started coverage on UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, October 11th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $675.00 target price on the stock. TD Cowen upped their target price 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. Hsbc Global Res cut UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Bank of America cut their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $675.00 to $650.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a 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 company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $618.26.

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.