UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH Holdings Lifted by Mediolanum International Funds Ltd

Mediolanum International Funds Ltd grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 3.2% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 185,346 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,673 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group comprises approximately 0.7% of Mediolanum International Funds Ltd’s portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $57,292,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% in the 1st quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Islay Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 416.7% in the first quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 62 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 80.9% during the second quarter. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc now owns 123 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 55 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. TD Cowen boosted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $335.00 to $338.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. UBS Group increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $378.00 to $430.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Weiss Ratings raised UnitedHealth Group from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Friday, October 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $310.00 to $425.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $267.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 7th. Eighteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $397.12.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 0.8%

Shares of UNH stock opened at $311.60 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The company has a market capitalization of $282.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.26, a P/E/G ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.47. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $234.60 and a 12-month high of $622.83. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $345.35 and a 200 day moving average price of $317.53.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.92 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.87 by $0.05. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 19.23% and a net margin of 4.04%.The company had revenue of $113.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $113.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $7.15 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 12.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 8th will be paid a dividend of $2.21 per share. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is 46.14%.

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.