Copeland Capital Management LLC Sells 1,739 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Copeland Capital Management LLC trimmed its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 3.9% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 42,826 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 1,739 shares during the period. Copeland Capital Management LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $25,039,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in UNH. Gilman Hill Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 4.7% in the 1st quarter. Gilman Hill Asset Management LLC now owns 1,267 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $627,000 after purchasing an additional 57 shares in the last quarter. Factory Mutual Insurance Co. grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 4.3% during the 1st quarter. Factory Mutual Insurance Co. now owns 234,500 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $116,007,000 after buying an additional 9,600 shares in the last quarter. Mechanics Bank Trust Department boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 6.3% during the 1st quarter. Mechanics Bank Trust Department now owns 9,653 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $4,775,000 after acquiring an additional 575 shares during the last quarter. Fermata Advisors LLC increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 50.6% during the first quarter. Fermata Advisors LLC now owns 699 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $346,000 after acquiring an additional 235 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 13.8% in the 1st quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 25,098 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $12,416,000 after purchasing an additional 3,048 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

UNH opened at $571.46 on Tuesday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $584.55 and its 200-day moving average price is $535.49. The company has a market cap of $527.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.58. 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.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.00 by $0.15. The company 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%. UnitedHealth Group’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $6.56 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th were paid a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.47%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 54.72%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on UNH. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $597.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. StockNews.com raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Argus increased their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $570.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. UBS Group dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $680.00 to $650.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Truist Financial restated a “buy” rating and set a $625.00 target price (down previously from $640.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $615.58.

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.