Markel Group Inc. Acquires 2,650 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Markel Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 11.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 26,714 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,650 shares during the quarter. Markel Group Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $13,514,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. NewSquare Capital LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Promus Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth about $32,000. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, Pillar Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 2.9 %

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $479.14 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $438.28 billion, a PE ratio of 30.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a twelve month low of $436.38 and a twelve month high of $630.73. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $513.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $552.69.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.81 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 business had revenue of $100.81 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $101.60 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $5.83 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th will be given a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.75%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is currently 54.19%.

Insider Activity

In other UnitedHealth Group news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn purchased 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 17th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $511.57 per share, with a total value of $511,570.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 4,500 shares in the company, valued at $2,302,065. The trade was a 28.57 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on UNH shares. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $655.00 to $642.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $700.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, January 17th. HSBC upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $595.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $595.00 to $625.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 3rd. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $629.32.

UnitedHealth Group 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.