Counterweight Ventures LLC Has $2.45 Million Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Counterweight Ventures LLC grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 1.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 4,808 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 74 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up about 1.8% of Counterweight Ventures LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 24th largest holding. Counterweight Ventures LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $2,449,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $5,802,231,000. Swedbank AB acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,117,462,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 107.8% in the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,306,729 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,141,113,000 after purchasing an additional 1,196,758 shares during the last quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1,125.4% in the 2nd quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 894,006 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $455,281,000 after purchasing an additional 821,050 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 3,464.9% in the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado now owns 825,311 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $434,501,000 after buying an additional 802,160 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In other news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 2,851 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $569.88, for a total transaction of $1,624,727.88. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 29,501 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,812,029.88. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $579.03, for a total value of $868,545.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 7,785 shares in the company, valued at $4,507,748.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 2,851 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $569.88, for a total value of $1,624,727.88. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 29,501 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,812,029.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have commented on UNH. StockNews.com raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 30th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $525.00 to $630.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $591.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Monday, August 19th. HSBC boosted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $580.00 to $610.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $597.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $614.17.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $596.88 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 0.88. The firm has a market cap of $549.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.48, a P/E/G ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.58. The business’s fifty day moving average is $558.98 and its two-hundred day moving average is $515.11. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $436.38 and a 52 week high of $607.94.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.80 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.66 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $98.86 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $98.73 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.55% and a net margin of 3.66%. The business’s revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $6.14 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.41%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 51.34%.

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.