Garden State Investment Advisory Services LLC Purchases 102 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Garden State Investment Advisory Services LLC increased its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 9.7% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 1,151 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 102 shares during the quarter. Garden State Investment Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $676,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 152.4% in the third quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 53 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 671.4% in the 2nd quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 54 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. West Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. StockNews.com lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Hsbc Global Res lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Barclays increased their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $603.00 to $655.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. KeyCorp assumed coverage on UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, October 11th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $675.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald upped their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $591.00 to $644.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $618.26.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $611.50 on Monday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $436.38 and a fifty-two week high of $630.73. The firm has a market capitalization of $562.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.75, a P/E/G ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.91. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $585.43 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $556.65.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.37% and a net margin of 3.63%. The business had revenue of $100.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.14 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $6.56 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th will be paid a $2.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 9th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.37%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is 54.72%.

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.