Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. Sells 5,517 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. has reduced its holding in UnitedHealth Group by 15.3%, selling 5,517 shares and now owning a total of 30,598 shares, representing about 0.6% of its investment portfolio.
• UnitedHealth Group's recent earnings report showed earnings per share (EPS) of $4.08, missing analysts' expectations of $4.45, while the company had a revenue of $111.62 billion for the quarter.
• The company has announced a quarterly dividend of $2.21 per share, which equates to an annualized yield of 2.8%, set to be paid on September 23rd.

Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. cut its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 15.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 30,598 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 5,517 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up approximately 0.6% of Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest holding. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd.'s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $16,026,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of UNH. Bayforest Capital Ltd increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% during the first quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares during the period. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd boosted 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 period. Copia Wealth Management acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $42,000. IAG Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $42,000. Finally, Investment Management Corp VA ADV acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $44,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH stock opened at $315.10 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. The firm has a market capitalization of $285.38 billion, a PE ratio of 13.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 0.44. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $288.78 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $372.56. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $234.60 and a 12 month high of $630.73.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $111.75 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 23.32% and a net margin of 5.04%.UnitedHealth Group's revenue was up 12.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $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 fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 15th will be issued a dividend of $2.21 per share. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 15th. UnitedHealth Group's payout ratio is currently 38.30%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNH has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Raymond James Financial downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 14th. Baird R W downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 31st. HSBC restated a "reduce" rating and issued a $270.00 price target (down previously from $490.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, May 21st. Wolfe Research lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $501.00 to $390.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 20th. Finally, KeyCorp lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $350.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Sixteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $354.86.

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 589 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $305.00, for a total transaction of $179,645.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 10,398 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,171,390. The trade was a 5.36% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.

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