Hartford Financial Management Inc. Reduces Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Hartford Financial Management Inc. lessened its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 12.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,537 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 645 shares during the period. Hartford Financial Management Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $2,653,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Principal Securities Inc. boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 8.9% during the third quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 23,726 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $13,872,000 after buying an additional 1,933 shares during the period. Stephens Inc. AR raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.3% during the third quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 42,446 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $24,817,000 after acquiring an additional 525 shares in the last quarter. Lincluden Management Ltd. raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.3% during the third quarter. Lincluden Management Ltd. now owns 8,580 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $5,017,000 after acquiring an additional 106 shares in the last quarter. Oak Ridge Investments LLC raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 7.2% during the third quarter. Oak Ridge Investments LLC now owns 39,719 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $23,223,000 after acquiring an additional 2,669 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Reston Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $119,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH opened at $564.40 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The stock has a market cap of $521.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.77, a PEG ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a 50-day moving average of $582.30 and a two-hundred day moving average of $540.65. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $436.38 and a 12-month high of $608.63.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.00 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.14 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The firm’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $6.56 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th were issued a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.49%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 54.72%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNH has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Argus boosted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $570.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Jefferies Financial Group raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $481.00 to $647.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $604.00 to $603.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $591.00 to $644.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $597.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Four research 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. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $615.53.

UnitedHealth Group Company 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.