Merit Financial Group LLC Has $461,000 Stake in Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM)

Merit Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM) by 16.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,819 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 259 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Humana were worth $461,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of HUM. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Humana by 25.8% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 375 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $136,000 after purchasing an additional 77 shares during the period. Public Sector Pension Investment Board increased its position in Humana by 71.5% in the 2nd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 4,622 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $1,727,000 after buying an additional 1,927 shares in the last quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Humana during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $328,000. Bank of Montreal Can grew its stake in Humana by 6.9% in the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 159,708 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $59,699,000 after acquiring an additional 10,326 shares during the period. Finally, BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp increased its holdings in shares of Humana by 56.6% during the second quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 23,090 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $8,628,000 after acquiring an additional 8,346 shares in the last quarter. 92.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Timothy S. Huval sold 3,703 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $256.26, for a total transaction of $948,930.78. Following the sale, the insider now owns 8,181 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,096,463.06. This trade represents a 31.16 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.32% of the company’s stock.

Humana Stock Performance

NYSE HUM opened at $293.22 on Friday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $273.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $305.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 1.76 and a quick ratio of 1.76. Humana Inc. has a 1 year low of $213.31 and a 1 year high of $411.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $35.31 billion, a PE ratio of 25.97, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.55.

Humana (NYSE:HUM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 30th. The insurance provider reported $4.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.48 by $0.68. Humana had a return on equity of 13.20% and a net margin of 1.18%. The company had revenue of $29.30 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $28.66 billion. Analysts predict that Humana Inc. will post 16.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

HUM has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Barclays increased their target price on Humana from $253.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of Humana from $270.00 to $288.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $395.00 target price on shares of Humana in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. TD Cowen lifted their price target on Humana from $261.00 to $268.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Finally, Bank of America raised Humana from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $247.00 to $308.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. Twenty analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $302.80.

Humana Profile

Humana Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides medical and specialty insurance products in the United States. It operates through two segments, Insurance and CenterWell. The company offers medical and supplemental benefit plans to individuals. It has a contract with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to administer the Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition prescription drug plan program; and contracts with various states to provide Medicaid, dual eligible, and long-term support services benefits.