Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A. Raises Stock Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A. grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 85,197 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,833 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up approximately 1.6% of Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest position. Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $29,419,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 685.7% during the 1st quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 55 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Sagard Holdings Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Islay Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Riggs Asset Managment Co. Inc. raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 69.4% in the 2nd quarter. Riggs Asset Managment Co. Inc. now owns 105 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 2.0%

Shares of UNH stock opened at $334.37 on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $338.90 and a two-hundred day moving average of $317.74. The firm has a market cap of $302.89 billion, a PE ratio of 17.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 0.43. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1-year low of $234.60 and a 1-year high of $606.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.82 and a quick ratio of 0.82.

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

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Investors of record on Monday, December 8th were paid a dividend of $2.21 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 8th. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 46.14%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Mizuho upped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $300.00 to $430.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $310.00 to $425.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $325.00 to $395.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, September 12th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and set a $440.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Tuesday, August 26th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $378.00 to $430.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $385.54.

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.