ARS Wealth Advisors Group LLC Grows Stock Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

ARS Wealth Advisors Group LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 765.4% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 22,283 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after acquiring an additional 19,708 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for 1.7% of ARS Wealth Advisors Group LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. ARS Wealth Advisors Group LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $11,732,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of UNH. Bensler LLC boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.3% during the third quarter. Bensler LLC now owns 7,293 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $3,677,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the last quarter. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX now owns 1,695 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $855,000 after acquiring an additional 19 shares during the last quarter. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,988 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $2,626,000 after acquiring an additional 19 shares during the last quarter. Atlas Private Wealth Advisors increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Atlas Private Wealth Advisors now owns 1,752 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $923,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Prentice Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Prentice Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,347 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,235,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNH has been the topic of several research reports. Erste Group Bank reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $596.00 to $555.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and set a $605.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 8th. Finally, Bank of America restated a “buy” rating and issued a $675.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $570.05.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

UNH traded down $0.52 on Friday, hitting $492.45. 2,487,811 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,130,659. The firm has a market cap of $453.09 billion, a PE ratio of 30.10, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.55. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $482.32 and a two-hundred day moving average of $512.76. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a twelve month low of $436.38 and a twelve month high of $554.70. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 26.50%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $6.26 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Monday, March 11th were issued a $1.88 dividend. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.53%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is currently 45.97%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total value of $451,127.82. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,364 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,527,306.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total value of $451,127.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.35% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.