Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan ADV Sells 83,592 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan ADV lessened its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 34.4% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 159,519 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 83,592 shares during the quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan ADV's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $81,353,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in UNH. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 19,956,219 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $10,068,869,000 after purchasing an additional 319,515 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 6.2% during the fourth quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 15,616,007 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $7,899,905,000 after acquiring an additional 906,365 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth about $6,375,744,000. Northern Trust Corp lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 12.5% in the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 9,503,671 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $4,807,527,000 after purchasing an additional 1,058,488 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 10.7% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 8,923,770 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $4,514,178,000 after purchasing an additional 861,854 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 17.8%

Shares of UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $311.23 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $282.33 billion, a PE ratio of 20.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $482.53 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $519.28. 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 $309.10 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 analysts' consensus estimates of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.69% and a net margin of 3.60%. The business had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $111.56 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $6.91 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a $2.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.70%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 35.18%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on UNH shares. HSBC reissued a "hold" rating and set a $490.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an "overweight" rating and set a $700.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, January 17th. 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. Mizuho upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $650.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 9th. Finally, Oppenheimer lowered their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $640.00 to $600.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average 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.

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