Pandora Wealth Inc. Purchases New Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Key Points

• Pandora Wealth Inc. has purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group, acquiring 1,539 shares valued at approximately $806,000 during the first quarter.
• UnitedHealth Group recently reported $4.08 EPS for the quarter, which missed analysts' estimates, and its revenue was $111.62 billion, a 12.9% increase year-over-year.
• The company has increased its quarterly dividend to $2.21 per share, up from the previous $2.10, representing a dividend yield of 3.5%.

Pandora Wealth Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 1,539 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock, valued at approximately $806,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Citizens National Bank Trust Department raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. Citizens National Bank Trust Department now owns 17,886 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $9,368,000 after purchasing an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH now owns 530,103 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $277,641,000 after purchasing an additional 1,465 shares in the last quarter. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth $515,000. Full Sail Capital LLC grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Full Sail Capital LLC now owns 1,612 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $815,000 after buying an additional 33 shares during the period. Finally, Soros Fund Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth about $39,413,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Kristen Gil acquired 3,700 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 15th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $271.17 per share, for a total transaction of $1,003,329.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 3,818 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,035,327.06. This represents a 3,135.59% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Stephen J. Hemsley acquired 86,700 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 16th. The shares were bought at an average price of $288.57 per share, for a total transaction of $25,019,019.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 679,493 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $196,081,295.01. The trade was a 14.63% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have purchased 109,408 shares of company stock valued at $31,607,768. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

NYSE UNH opened at $250.74 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $234.60 and a 12 month high of $630.73. The stock has a market cap of $227.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.86, a PEG ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.43. The company's 50 day moving average is $291.78 and its two-hundred day moving average is $406.82. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 29th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $4.08 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.45 by ($0.37). UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 23.32% and a net margin of 5.04%. The firm had revenue of $111.62 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.75 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $6.80 EPS. UnitedHealth Group's revenue was up 12.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 24th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 16th were given a dividend of $2.21 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 16th. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.10. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.5%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 38.30%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on UNH shares. Argus downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $563.00 to $374.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 14th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 24th. HSBC reissued a "reduce" rating and set a $270.00 price objective (down from $490.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, May 21st. Finally, Oppenheimer cut their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $325.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $366.52.

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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