Epoch Investment Partners Inc. Trims Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Epoch Investment Partners Inc. reduced its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 8.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 712,724 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 69,026 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group accounts for 1.7% of Epoch Investment Partners Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 5th biggest position. Epoch Investment Partners Inc. owned about 0.08% of UnitedHealth Group worth $360,539,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. NewSquare Capital LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Hurley Capital LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of UNH stock traded up $7.70 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $434.88. 4,132,717 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,420,447. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.91. The stock has a market cap of $397.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.61. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $417.12 and a 52 week high of $630.73. The stock's 50-day moving average is $508.83 and its 200-day moving average is $537.99.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $7.29 by ($0.09). The company had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $111.56 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $6.91 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.93%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 35.18%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on UNH shares. KeyCorp decreased their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $650.00 to $575.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday. Hsbc Global Res downgraded UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $700.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Friday, January 17th. Raymond James reissued a "strong-buy" rating and set a $540.00 target price (down previously from $635.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Monday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $694.00 to $660.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have assigned a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $608.00.

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.