Verity & Verity LLC Raises Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Verity & Verity LLC raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 11.4% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 1,499 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 154 shares during the period. Verity & Verity LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $876,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Macroview Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 671.4% in 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 in the last quarter. Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 152.4% in the 3rd 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 raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 40.0% during the second quarter. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC now owns 63 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

NYSE:UNH opened at $589.65 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $542.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.41, a PEG ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.58. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $582.75 and its two-hundred day moving average is $550.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.91. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $630.73.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.63% and a return on equity of 26.37%. The business had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.14 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $6.56 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.6 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm 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 dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 54.72%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Bank of America reduced their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $675.00 to $650.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $595.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $601.00 to $609.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Truist Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $625.00 target price (down previously from $640.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $615.53.

About UnitedHealth Group

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.