Canopy Partners LLC Grows Stock Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Canopy Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 17.8% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,244 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after purchasing an additional 794 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for 1.0% of Canopy Partners LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest holding. Canopy Partners LLC's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $2,653,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. NewSquare Capital LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Hurley Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $32,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on UNH shares. Mizuho raised their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $650.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $694.00 to $660.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $605.00 to $600.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 2nd. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $700.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, January 17th. Finally, Barclays lowered their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $655.00 to $642.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $632.85.

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

In other news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn bought 1,000 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 17th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $511.57 per share, for a total transaction of $511,570.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 4,500 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,302,065. The trade was a 28.57 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.33% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

UNH stock traded up $7.51 during trading on Friday, hitting $601.91. The stock had a trading volume of 2,893,259 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,345,038. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1-year low of $436.38 and a 1-year high of $630.73. The stock has a market cap of $550.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.61. The company's 50 day moving average price is $511.79 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $541.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.83.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.74 by $0.07. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. The firm had revenue of $100.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $101.60 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $5.83 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group's revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.40%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 54.19%.

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.