UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Stock Position Decreased by Gabelli Funds LLC

Gabelli Funds LLC decreased its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 8.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 89,252 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 8,373 shares during the period. Gabelli Funds LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $42,898,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Zullo Investment Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.7% in the second quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. now owns 3,001 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,443,000 after buying an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Northern Financial Advisors Inc boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Northern Financial Advisors Inc now owns 3,381 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,625,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Addison Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 9.0% in the second quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 241 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $116,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Signet Financial Management LLC boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.2% during the first quarter. Signet Financial Management LLC now owns 964 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $491,000 after buying an additional 21 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Financial Partners Group Inc raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Financial Partners Group Inc now owns 509 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $252,000 after buying an additional 21 shares during the last quarter. 85.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH traded down $3.53 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $536.29. 2,676,925 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,390,124. The company’s 50 day moving average is $519.50 and its 200 day moving average is $498.44. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $445.68 and a one year high of $553.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $496.03 billion, a PE ratio of 23.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.80.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its earnings results on Friday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.56 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.33 by $0.23. The firm had revenue of $92.36 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $91.41 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 26.58%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $5.79 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 24.94 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 12th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 4th will be given a dividend of $1.88 per share. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.40%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 1st. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 32.64%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total value of $2,448,171.44. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,218 shares in the company, valued at $5,017,173.04. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. In related news, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 121,515 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $540.58, for a total value of $65,688,578.70. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 521,818 shares in the company, valued at $282,084,374.44. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Monday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total value of $2,448,171.44. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,218 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,017,173.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.35% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on UNH. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $529.00 to $531.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 9th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and set a $591.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, September 14th. HSBC assumed coverage on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, September 6th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $540.00 price objective on the stock. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $580.00 to $584.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 16th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $572.00 to $596.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $578.30.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It 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.