Meeder Asset Management Inc. Buys 3,807 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Key Points

• Meeder Asset Management Inc. significantly increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 1,613.1%, holding 4,043 shares valued at approximately $2.12 million as of the latest SEC filing.
• The company recently declared a quarterly dividend of $2.21 per share, reflecting a boost from the previous dividend and a 3.13% yield based on an annualized rate of $8.84.
• Wall Street analysts are projecting varied outlooks for UnitedHealth Group, with target prices ranging from $270 to $355, indicating a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy."

Meeder Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 1,613.1% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,043 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after acquiring an additional 3,807 shares during the period. Meeder Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $2,118,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 19,956,219 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $10,068,869,000 after purchasing an additional 319,515 shares during the period. Capital International Investors increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 6.2% in the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 15,616,007 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $7,899,905,000 after buying an additional 906,365 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 12.5% in the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 9,503,671 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $4,807,527,000 after acquiring an additional 1,058,488 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 10.7% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 8,923,770 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $4,514,178,000 after buying an additional 861,854 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 36.6% during the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 8,592,718 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $4,346,712,000 after buying an additional 2,301,010 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 5.1%

UNH traded down $12.63 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $236.93. 27,115,155 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 11,900,368. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.85. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $235.70 and a one year high of $630.73. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $298.02 and its 200 day simple moving average is $418.35. The stock has a market capitalization of $214.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.28, a PEG ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 0.45.

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 for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.45 by ($0.37). UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 5.04% and a return on equity of 23.32%. The firm had revenue of $111.62 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.75 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $6.80 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group's quarterly revenue was up 12.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 16th were issued a $2.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 16th. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.7%. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.10. UnitedHealth Group's payout ratio is 37.02%.

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on UNH. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $351.00 to $306.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Argus downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 21st. Oppenheimer lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $325.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Bank of America lowered their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $350.00 to $300.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Mizuho dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $515.00 to $350.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 16th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $373.52.

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.