UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Stake Boosted by Gateway Investment Advisers LLC

Gateway Investment Advisers LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 0.8% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 203,819 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after acquiring an additional 1,677 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for approximately 1.2% of Gateway Investment Advisers LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Gateway Investment Advisers LLC's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $106,750,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Financial Management Professionals Inc. grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.8% in the 1st quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 2,224 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $1,165,000 after purchasing an additional 17 shares during the last quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,247 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $2,654,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 28.6% in the 1st quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 90 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. 44 Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. 44 Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,309 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $662,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Prentice Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Prentice Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,527 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $1,278,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn bought 1,533 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 14th. The stock was bought at an average price of $320.80 per share, with a total value of $491,786.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 6,033 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,935,386.40. This represents a 34.07% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CFO John F. Rex purchased 17,175 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 16th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $291.12 per share, for a total transaction of $4,999,986.00. Following the purchase, the chief financial officer now owns 203,796 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $59,329,091.52. This represents a 9.20% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders bought 109,408 shares of company stock valued at $31,607,768. Company insiders own 0.33% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH traded up $7.40 during trading on Friday, reaching $303.24. The company had a trading volume of 12,558,756 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,995,173. The stock has a market capitalization of $275.08 billion, a PE ratio of 19.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a twelve month low of $248.88 and a twelve month high of $630.73. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $409.03 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $484.21.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $7.29 by ($0.09). The business had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $111.56 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $6.91 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 24th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 16th will be given a $2.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 16th. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.92%. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.10. UnitedHealth Group's payout ratio is currently 37.02%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen downgraded UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 24th. Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $510.00 to $356.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $521.00 to $362.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 14th. Piper Sandler decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $552.00 to $353.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, KeyCorp dropped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $450.00 to $400.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $428.43.

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.