Northern Financial Advisors Inc Has $1.57 Million Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Northern Financial Advisors Inc reduced its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 5.5% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 3,105 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 180 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group accounts for about 1.3% of Northern Financial Advisors Inc’s holdings, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Northern Financial Advisors Inc’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,571,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. AlphaMark Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $37,000. Friedenthal Financial acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $51,000. Highline Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter worth $55,000. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at about $57,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have issued reports on UNH shares. Barclays cut their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $655.00 to $642.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 17th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $694.00 to $660.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. Oppenheimer upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $610.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, December 6th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $700.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Friday, January 17th. Finally, Stephens increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $605.00 to $675.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $629.32.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn bought 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 17th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $511.57 per share, for a total transaction of $511,570.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 4,500 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,302,065. This trade represents a 28.57 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.7 %

UNH stock opened at $531.31 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $488.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.28, a PEG ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.61. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $436.38 and a fifty-two week high of $630.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.83. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $524.58 and a 200-day moving average of $563.71.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.81 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.74 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $100.81 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $101.60 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $5.83 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group 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.