UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Stock Holdings Lowered by Vantage Investment Partners LLC

Vantage Investment Partners LLC reduced its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 3.4% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 140,751 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 5,016 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up about 6.2% of Vantage Investment Partners LLC's holdings, making the stock its biggest holding. Vantage Investment Partners LLC's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $73,718,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. NewSquare Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

NYSE UNH opened at $302.04 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $248.88 and a 52 week high of $630.73. The firm has a market capitalization of $273.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.65, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $359.15 and a 200-day moving average price of $462.77.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 5.39% and a return on equity of 26.29%. The business had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $111.56 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $6.91 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 24th. Investors of record on Monday, June 16th will be issued a $2.21 dividend. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.93%. This is a positive change from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.10. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 16th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 37.02%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently commented on the stock. KeyCorp dropped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $450.00 to $400.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, June 2nd. Raymond James Financial cut shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $405.00 to $418.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday. TD Securities reiterated a "hold" rating and issued a $308.00 price target (down previously from $520.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Monday, May 19th. Finally, Argus cut shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, April 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $427.09.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other UnitedHealth Group news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn purchased 1,533 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 14th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $320.80 per share, for a total transaction of $491,786.40. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 6,033 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,935,386.40. This trade represents a 34.07% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 589 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.00, for a total value of $179,645.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 10,398 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,171,390. The trade was a 5.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders bought 109,408 shares of company stock valued at $31,607,768. 0.28% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

UnitedHealth Group 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.

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