Northwest Bancshares Inc. Sells 477 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Northwest Bancshares Inc. decreased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 21.7% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 1,719 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 477 shares during the quarter. Northwest Bancshares Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,005,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $2,905,000. Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.2% in the third quarter. Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV now owns 12,465 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $7,288,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 13.7% in the third quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 24,976 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $14,603,000 after purchasing an additional 3,006 shares during the last quarter. Americana Partners LLC grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 10.8% in the third quarter. Americana Partners LLC now owns 20,377 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $11,914,000 after purchasing an additional 1,984 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 14.8% in the second quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 9,960 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $5,072,000 after purchasing an additional 1,283 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 2.2 %

Shares of UNH opened at $576.93 on Wednesday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $436.38 and a 52 week high of $630.73. The stock has a market capitalization of $530.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.59, a PEG ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.91. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $582.31 and a 200-day moving average of $551.25.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.00 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $100.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.14 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.37% and a net margin of 3.63%. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $6.56 EPS. As a group, sell-side 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 announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th will be given a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.46%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 9th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 54.72%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on UNH shares. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $591.00 to $644.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. TD Cowen increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $601.00 to $609.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 18th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $595.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. StockNews.com downgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Truist Financial reaffirmed 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. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $615.53.

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.