Carret Asset Management LLC Grows Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Carret Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 6.6% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 7,018 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 432 shares during the period. Carret Asset Management LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,472,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Richelieu Gestion SA bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. CGC Financial Services LLC lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1,000.0% during the fourth quarter. CGC Financial Services LLC now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. True Wealth Design LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 148.1% during the 4th quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA now owns 67 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Transcendent Capital Group LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $40,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 1.7 %

NYSE:UNH traded down $8.35 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $489.89. 2,233,258 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,277,131. The company has a fifty day moving average of $498.64 and a 200 day moving average of $501.12. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $436.38 and a 12 month high of $554.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $450.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.01, a PEG ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.85.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $99.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 4.05%. UnitedHealth Group’s quarterly revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $6.26 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.55 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 17th were given a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.71%. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 17th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.34%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNH has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $546.00 to $559.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. StockNews.com lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, June 28th. Truist Financial restated a “buy” rating and set a $600.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. Barclays lifted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $534.00 to $560.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. Finally, Erste Group Bank reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $579.74.

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.