LaFleur & Godfrey LLC Trims Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

LaFleur & Godfrey LLC cut its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 66.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,456 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 2,901 shares during the quarter. LaFleur & Godfrey LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $737,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in UnitedHealth Group by 7.9% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,622 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,335,000 after buying an additional 193 shares during the period. Commonwealth Financial Services LLC grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 9.0% during the 2nd quarter. Commonwealth Financial Services LLC now owns 726 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $355,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the period. Public Sector Pension Investment Board boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 26.3% during the second quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 436,747 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $222,418,000 after purchasing an additional 91,022 shares in the last quarter. Magnetar Financial LLC increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 100.7% in the second quarter. Magnetar Financial LLC now owns 159,239 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $81,094,000 after buying an additional 79,898 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Evergreen Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 7.7% during the 2nd quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 17,644 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $8,985,000 after buying an additional 1,259 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $510.03 on Tuesday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $436.38 and a 52-week high of $630.73. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The business’s 50 day moving average is $549.37 and its two-hundred day moving average is $563.70. The firm has a market cap of $469.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.91, a PEG ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 0.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.74 by $0.07. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 26.69%. The company had revenue of $100.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $101.60 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $5.83 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.77 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th were paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.65%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 54.19%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have weighed in on UNH. HSBC upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $595.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Stephens boosted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $605.00 to $675.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Barclays dropped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $655.00 to $642.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Hsbc Global Res raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 15th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $627.74.

UnitedHealth Group Company 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.