Occidental Asset Management LLC Acquires 106 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Occidental Asset Management LLC grew its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 1.7% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,293 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the quarter. Occidental Asset Management LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,113,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of UNH. Richelieu Gestion SA purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. CGC Financial Services LLC lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 1,000.0% during the fourth quarter. CGC Financial Services LLC now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 148.1% during the fourth quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA now owns 67 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the period. Finally, Transcendent Capital Group LLC acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at $40,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 4.7 %

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $509.26 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $498.34 and a 200 day moving average of $501.96. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $436.38 and a 12-month high of $554.70. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The stock has a market cap of $468.72 billion, a PE ratio of 31.13, a P/E/G ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.58.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 26.50%. The business had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $6.26 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Investors of record on Monday, June 17th were given a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 17th. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.65%. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 51.34%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNH has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. HSBC upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $580.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 5th. Baird R W upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $525.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 8th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $534.00 to $560.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and set a $591.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th. Three research 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. According to MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $579.74.

About UnitedHealth Group

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.