UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Stock Position Boosted by Semus Wealth Partners LLC

Semus Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 4.4% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 2,302 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after acquiring an additional 98 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for approximately 0.9% of Semus Wealth Partners LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 26th largest holding. Semus Wealth Partners LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,346,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Macroview Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 671.4% during the second quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 54 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 47 shares during the period. Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at $31,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 152.4% during the third quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 53 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares during the period. Finally, Signature Resources Capital Management LLC grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 40.0% in the second quarter. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC now owns 63 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.2 %

NYSE UNH opened at $592.23 on Monday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $582.84 and its 200 day simple moving average is $549.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.91. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $630.73. The firm has a market cap of $545.02 billion, a PE ratio of 38.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.58.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.00 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $100.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.14 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.37% and a net margin of 3.63%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $6.56 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th will be given a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 9th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.42%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is currently 54.72%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have weighed in on UNH. Bank of America reduced their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $675.00 to $650.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Stephens lowered their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $601.00 to $609.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. HSBC downgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Hsbc Global Res downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $615.53.

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.