Stevens Capital Management LP Has $3.54 Million Stock Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Key Points

• Stevens Capital Management LP significantly increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 197.0% to 6,762 shares, valued at approximately $3.54 million.
• In the last quarter, company insiders acquired 109,408 shares of UnitedHealth Group, totaling $31.6 million in investments.
• Analysts have recently downgraded their ratings for UnitedHealth Group, with a consensus price target set at $394.43, indicating a shift in market sentiment.

Stevens Capital Management LP increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 197.0% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,762 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after acquiring an additional 4,485 shares during the period. Stevens Capital Management LP's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,542,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, Copia Wealth Management bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at $42,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn acquired 1,533 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 14th. The stock was bought at an average price of $320.80 per share, with a total value of $491,786.40. Following the acquisition, the director owned 6,033 shares in the company, valued at $1,935,386.40. This represents a 34.07% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Stephen J. Hemsley purchased 86,700 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 16th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $288.57 per share, with a total value of $25,019,019.00. Following the purchase, 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. Insiders have acquired a total of 109,408 shares of company stock valued at $31,607,768 in the last three months. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have weighed in on UNH shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $521.00 to $362.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 14th. Wall Street Zen lowered UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 24th. Mizuho decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $515.00 to $350.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 16th. TD Securities reissued a "hold" rating and set a $308.00 price objective (down previously from $520.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Monday, May 19th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $405.00 to $418.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, June 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $392.29.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.8%

NYSE UNH traded up $2.11 on Friday, reaching $280.69. The company had a trading volume of 16,445,593 shares, compared to its average volume of 12,350,532. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $254.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.45. The company's fifty day moving average is $301.58 and its 200-day moving average is $425.60. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1-year low of $248.88 and a 1-year high of $630.73.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 16th were given a dividend of $2.21 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 16th. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.15%. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.10. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is 37.02%.

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.