Heritage Wealth Management LLC Invests $1.60 Million in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Heritage Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 3,039 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock, valued at approximately $1,600,000. UnitedHealth Group comprises about 0.9% of Heritage Wealth Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest position.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in UNH. Wilbanks Smith & Thomas Asset Management LLC raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. Wilbanks Smith & Thomas Asset Management LLC now owns 27,882 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $14,679,000 after purchasing an additional 903 shares during the last quarter. Rogco LP increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 45.3% during the fourth quarter. Rogco LP now owns 3,405 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,793,000 after buying an additional 1,062 shares during the period. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. now owns 1,853 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $976,000 after acquiring an additional 27 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 50.2% in the 4th quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. now owns 13,766 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $7,247,000 after buying an additional 4,602 shares during the period. Finally, Summit Financial LLC boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. Summit Financial LLC now owns 20,361 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $10,719,000 after acquiring an additional 682 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNH traded up $6.44 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $490.55. 899,218 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,400,709. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.85. The company has a market cap of $451.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.98, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.55. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1 year low of $436.38 and a 1 year high of $554.70. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $483.69 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $513.21.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 4.05%. UnitedHealth Group’s quarterly revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $6.26 EPS. Equities analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th were issued a dividend of $1.88 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 8th. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.53%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is currently 45.97%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,527,306.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other UnitedHealth Group news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total transaction of $451,127.82. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 32,289 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,364 shares in the company, valued at $4,527,306.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $596.00 to $555.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. Piper Sandler raised their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $566.00 to $571.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. Truist Financial reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $600.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $610.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Finally, Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $605.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $570.05.

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.