Blue Trust Inc. Acquires 3,429 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 49.0% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 10,429 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 3,429 shares during the quarter. Blue Trust Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $6,098,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Buckingham Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1.4% in the first quarter. Buckingham Capital Management Inc. now owns 25,283 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $12,508,000 after purchasing an additional 337 shares in the last quarter. Triangle Securities Wealth Management increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.7% during the first quarter. Triangle Securities Wealth Management now owns 4,177 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $2,066,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares in the last quarter. Johnson & White Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.9% during the first quarter. Johnson & White Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,532 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $758,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. BTC Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter valued at $7,827,000. Finally, Cardano Risk Management B.V. increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.0% during the first quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 200,595 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $99,234,000 after acquiring an additional 7,626 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.6 %

NYSE UNH opened at $569.61 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $584.42 and its 200-day moving average price is $533.63. The company has a market capitalization of $525.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.58. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $436.38 and a 52 week high of $608.63. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $7.00 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.14 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.55% and a net margin of 3.66%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $6.56 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.68 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th were paid a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.47%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 55.70%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on UNH shares. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $525.00 to $630.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $625.00 price objective (down from $640.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday. Argus increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $570.00 to $600.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Jefferies Financial Group raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price objective for the company from $481.00 to $647.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $601.00 to $609.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $615.58.

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.