Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co Cuts Stock Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co reduced its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 7.7% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 43,981 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 3,663 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up approximately 0.4% of Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co's investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $22,248,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Howard Capital Management Group LLC bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter worth $341,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 11.3% in the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,778,636 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,039,933,000 after purchasing an additional 180,479 shares in the last quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 8.2% in the third quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 635 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $371,000 after buying an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. now owns 1,275 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $746,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tudor Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter worth about $900,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

NYSE UNH traded down $1.96 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $398.72. The stock had a trading volume of 11,384,114 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,611,075. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $495.85 and a 200 day moving average of $528.45. The stock has a market cap of $362.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.83. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $393.11 and a 52-week high of $630.73.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. The firm had revenue of $109.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $111.56 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $6.91 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.11%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.18%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNH has been the topic of several recent research reports. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $664.00 to $563.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Argus downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 21st. Truist Financial decreased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $660.00 to $580.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Erste Group Bank lowered UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Hsbc Global Res cut shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $596.86.

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.