Stifel Financial Corp Buys 4,804 Shares of Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM)

Stifel Financial Corp lifted its stake in shares of Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM) by 8.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 59,432 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 4,804 shares during the period. Stifel Financial Corp’s holdings in Humana were worth $18,825,000 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 stock. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV increased its holdings in Humana by 244.0% during the 3rd quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 86 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Humana by 111.4% during the second quarter. CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. now owns 74 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. Atwood & Palmer Inc. acquired a new stake in Humana in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC bought a new stake in Humana in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Your Advocates Ltd. LLP boosted its position in Humana by 81.8% during the 3rd quarter. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP now owns 100 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. 92.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Humana Trading Up 1.6 %

Shares of HUM stock opened at $286.21 on Tuesday. Humana Inc. has a 12-month low of $213.31 and a 12-month high of $488.89. The company has a market capitalization of $34.46 billion, a PE ratio of 25.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.18 and a beta of 0.53. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $272.07 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $326.37. The company has a quick ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 1.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67.

Humana (NYSE:HUM) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The insurance provider reported $4.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.48 by $0.68. Humana had a return on equity of 13.20% and a net margin of 1.18%. The business had revenue of $29.30 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $28.66 billion. As a group, analysts predict that Humana Inc. will post 16.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Humana Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be paid a $0.885 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. This represents a $3.54 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.24%. Humana’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.36%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently commented on HUM shares. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on shares of Humana from $400.00 to $265.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 8th. Bank of America upgraded shares of 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. Oppenheimer lowered their target price on Humana from $400.00 to $280.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 3rd. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $395.00 price target on shares of Humana in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. Finally, Barclays boosted their price target on Humana from $250.00 to $253.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Twenty analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $315.86.

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.