OFI Invest Asset Management Makes New Investment in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 128,629 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock, valued at approximately $62,838,000. UnitedHealth Group accounts for 1.5% of OFI Invest Asset Management’s portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest holding.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. NewSquare Capital LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. AlphaMark Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Promus Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $32,000. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Pillar Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth $40,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

UNH opened at $493.35 on Friday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $513.78 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $553.57. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $436.38 and a 52-week high of $630.73. The stock has a market capitalization of $451.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.83.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.81 earnings per share 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $101.60 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $5.83 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th will be issued a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 10th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 54.19%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn bought 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 17th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $511.57 per share, with a total value of $511,570.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 4,500 shares in the company, valued at $2,302,065. This trade represents a 28.57 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. StockNews.com upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. KeyCorp restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $650.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, January 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $700.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 10th. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $610.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, December 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $629.32.

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.