Plato Investment Management Ltd Sells 1,264 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Plato Investment Management Ltd has reduced its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 5.5%, selling 1,264 shares during the first quarter, and now owns 21,548 shares valued at approximately $11.4 million.
• UnitedHealth Group reported earnings per share (EPS) of $4.08 for the last quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.45, while quarterly revenue reached $111.62 billion.
• The company has announced a quarterly dividend of $2.21 per share, to be paid on September 23rd, providing stockholders with an annualized dividend yield of 2.5%.

Plato Investment Management Ltd lowered its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 5.5% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 21,548 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 1,264 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up about 1.0% of Plato Investment Management Ltd's investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest holding. Plato Investment Management Ltd's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $11,408,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of UNH. Bayforest Capital Ltd lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% in the 1st quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 48 shares during the period. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd grew its holdings in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 50 shares during the period. Copia Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $42,000. IAG Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $42,000. Finally, Investment Management Corp VA ADV purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $44,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have weighed in on UNH shares. Wolfe Research reduced their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $501.00 to $390.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, May 20th. Hsbc Global Res lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "hold" rating to a "moderate sell" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 21st. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $342.00 to $325.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $355.00 to $286.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $337.00 to $352.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, September 4th. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $355.77.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

NYSE UNH traded up $7.11 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $353.89. The company's stock had a trading volume of 18,916,413 shares, compared to its average volume of 19,187,298. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $234.60 and a 12 month high of $630.73. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $291.11 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $370.48. The company has a market cap of $320.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 29th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $4.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.45 by ($0.37). The company had revenue of $111.62 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.75 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 5.04% and a return on equity of 23.32%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 12.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $6.80 EPS. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 16.000- EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 15th will be issued a dividend of $2.21 per share. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 15th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 38.30%.

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.