Acadian Asset Management LLC Increases Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Acadian Asset Management LLC increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 150.9%, holding 148,918 shares valued at $77.98 million as of its latest SEC filing.
• UnitedHealth Group reported $4.08 earnings per share, missing analysts' estimates of $4.45, with a 12.9% year-over-year revenue increase of $111.62 billion.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $2.21, translating to an annualized dividend yield of 2.6% and a payout ratio of 38.30%.

Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 150.9% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 148,918 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after purchasing an additional 89,560 shares during the quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $77,984,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bayforest Capital Ltd raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% during the 1st quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 416.7% during the 1st quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 62 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. IAG Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 1st quarter worth $42,000. Copia Wealth Management purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth $42,000. Finally, O Brien Wealth Partners LLC raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 74.0% during the 1st quarter. O Brien Wealth Partners LLC now owns 87 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on UNH shares. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $355.00 to $286.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and set a $440.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Tuesday, August 26th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $306.00 to $267.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, August 4th. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $337.00 to $379.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, September 5th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $521.00 to $362.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 14th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $355.77.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

NYSE UNH traded up $7.11 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $353.89. The company's stock had a trading volume of 18,916,413 shares, compared to its average volume of 19,187,298. The stock has a market cap of $320.51 billion, a PE ratio of 15.33, a PEG ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.85. The company's 50-day moving average is $291.11 and its two-hundred day moving average is $370.48. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $234.60 and a fifty-two week high of $630.73.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 29th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $4.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.45 by ($0.37). The firm had revenue of $111.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $111.75 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 5.04% and a return on equity of 23.32%. UnitedHealth Group's revenue for the quarter was up 12.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $6.80 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 16.000- EPS. Analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 15th will be issued a $2.21 dividend. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 15th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is 38.30%.

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.