Romano Brothers AND Company Raises Stock Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Romano Brothers AND Company raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 4,236 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after acquiring an additional 58 shares during the quarter. Romano Brothers AND Company’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $2,476,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of UNH. Patrick M Sweeney & Associates Inc. boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 4.8% in the 3rd quarter. Patrick M Sweeney & Associates Inc. now owns 2,087 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,220,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares during the period. Great Lakes Retirement Inc. boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.0% in the third quarter. Great Lakes Retirement Inc. now owns 13,090 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $7,653,000 after purchasing an additional 503 shares during the period. Tanager Wealth Management LLP purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter worth $244,000. YHB Investment Advisors Inc. boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. YHB Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 30,824 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $18,022,000 after buying an additional 203 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Spectrum Asset Management Inc. NB CA boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 414.4% in the third quarter. Spectrum Asset Management Inc. NB CA now owns 5,952 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $3,480,000 after purchasing an additional 4,795 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $564.48 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $436.38 and a 52-week high of $608.63. The stock has a market capitalization of $521.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.77, a PEG ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.58. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $584.16 and its 200 day simple moving average is $536.49.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The business had revenue of $100.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.14 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $6.56 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th were given a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 16th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.49%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is presently 54.72%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. Argus boosted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $570.00 to $600.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $604.00 to $603.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Stephens cut their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Hsbc Global Res cut UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $597.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $615.53.

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.