Birch Capital Management LLC Sells 89 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Birch Capital Management LLC decreased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 1.2% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 7,069 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 89 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up 1.8% of Birch Capital Management LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 17th largest holding. Birch Capital Management LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,497,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Richelieu Gestion SA bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. CGC Financial Services LLC raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 1,000.0% in the fourth quarter. CGC Financial Services LLC now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. True Wealth Design LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 148.1% in the fourth quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA now owns 67 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Transcendent Capital Group LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $40,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $486.80 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $497.01 and its 200-day moving average price is $503.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $448.05 billion, a PE ratio of 29.50, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.58. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1 year low of $436.38 and a 1 year high of $554.70.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.63 by $0.28. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 4.05%. The firm had revenue of $99.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $6.26 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Investors of record on Monday, June 17th will be given a dividend of $2.10 per share. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 17th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.73%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 51.34%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Baird R W upgraded UnitedHealth Group to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Bank of America restated a “buy” rating and issued a $675.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, March 7th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $596.00 to $555.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $545.00 to $562.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 19th. Finally, HSBC raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $580.00 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 5th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $579.74.

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.