UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Shares Acquired by Gries Financial LLC

Gries Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 176.7% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,956 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after acquiring an additional 3,165 shares during the period. Gries Financial LLC's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $2,596,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Financial Management Professionals Inc. grew its holdings in 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 buying an additional 17 shares during the period. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,247 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $2,654,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the period. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 28.6% during the 1st quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 90 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the period. Kolinsky Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Kolinsky Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,135 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,080,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the period. Finally, Retirement Planning Group LLC lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 5.1% during the 1st quarter. Retirement Planning Group LLC now owns 430 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $225,000 after acquiring an additional 21 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of UNH traded down $0.61 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $282.04. 10,276,789 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 7,828,500. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $304.47 and its 200-day simple moving average is $432.39. The stock has a market cap of $255.85 billion, a PE ratio of 10.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.45. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $248.88 and a 12 month high of $630.73. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.29 by ($0.09). The business had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $111.56 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 5.39% and a return on equity of 26.29%. During the same period last year, the firm posted $6.91 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 24th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 16th were paid a $2.21 dividend. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.10. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.13%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 16th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 37.02%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on UNH shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $405.00 to $418.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, June 20th. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, June 6th. UBS Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday. Wolfe Research dropped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $501.00 to $390.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, May 20th. Finally, Mizuho dropped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $515.00 to $350.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 16th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $394.43.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO John F. Rex bought 17,175 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 16th. The shares were bought at an average price of $291.12 per share, with a total value of $4,999,986.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief financial officer owned 203,796 shares in the company, valued at $59,329,091.52. The trade was a 9.20% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 589 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.00, for a total value of $179,645.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 10,398 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,171,390. The trade was a 5.36% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders purchased 109,408 shares of company stock valued at $31,607,768. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

About UnitedHealth Group

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.