Polar Asset Management Partners Inc. Increases Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Polar Asset Management Partners Inc. increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 450.6% during the first quarter, acquiring an additional 17,572 shares, bringing its total holdings to $11,246,000.
• Analyst ratings for UnitedHealth Group vary, with Oppenheimer lowering their price objective to $325.00 while Barclays raised theirs to $352.00, reflecting differing outlooks on the stock's performance.
• UnitedHealth Group recently announced a quarterly dividend of $2.21 per share, which will be paid on September 23rd, representing an annualized yield of 2.9%.

Polar Asset Management Partners Inc. grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 450.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 21,472 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after acquiring an additional 17,572 shares during the quarter. Polar Asset Management Partners Inc.'s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $11,246,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in UNH. Bayforest Capital Ltd lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% during the first quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 416.7% during the first quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 62 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Copia Wealth Management bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at $42,000. IAG Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter valued at $42,000. Finally, Investment Management Corp VA ADV purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at $44,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently weighed in on UNH shares. Oppenheimer lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $325.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $337.00 to $352.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday. Robert W. Baird reissued an "underperform" rating and set a $198.00 price target (down from $312.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, July 31st. Mizuho decreased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $515.00 to $350.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Finally, UBS Group restated a "buy" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, July 17th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $353.71.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 589 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.00, for a total transaction of $179,645.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 10,398 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,171,390. This trade represents a 5.36% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $309.98 on Friday. 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 Incorporated has a twelve month low of $234.60 and a twelve month high of $630.73. The company's 50 day moving average is $288.66 and its 200 day moving average is $375.70. The company has a market cap of $280.74 billion, a PE ratio of 13.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 0.45.

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

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

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 $2.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 15th. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 38.30%.

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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