Mediolanum International Funds Ltd Grows Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Mediolanum International Funds Ltd boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 1.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 179,673 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,053 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group comprises approximately 1.3% of Mediolanum International Funds Ltd’s portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $92,718,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Nvwm LLC boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. Nvwm LLC now owns 4,202 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $2,201,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 4.0% in the first quarter. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 1,108 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $580,000 after buying an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Stevens Capital Management LP raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 197.0% during the first quarter. Stevens Capital Management LP now owns 6,762 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $3,542,000 after acquiring an additional 4,485 shares in the last quarter. Prescott Group Capital Management L.L.C. lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 135.5% in the 1st quarter. Prescott Group Capital Management L.L.C. now owns 1,100 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $576,000 after acquiring an additional 633 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Equitable Trust Co. grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 19.5% during the 1st quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 13,850 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $7,254,000 after purchasing an additional 2,260 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have issued reports on UNH shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $405.00 to $418.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, June 20th. Mizuho reduced their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $515.00 to $350.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Wolfe Research dropped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $501.00 to $390.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 20th. Hsbc Global Res downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “moderate sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 21st. Finally, Raymond James Financial lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $392.29.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Stephen J. Hemsley bought 86,700 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 16th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $288.57 per share, with a total value of $25,019,019.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 679,493 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $196,081,295.01. The trade was a 14.63% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Kristen Gil purchased 3,700 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 15th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $271.17 per share, with a total value of $1,003,329.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 3,818 shares in the company, valued at $1,035,327.06. The trade was a 3,135.59% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders have bought a total of 109,408 shares of company stock worth $31,607,768 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH stock opened at $280.69 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $248.88 and a 12 month high of $630.73. The stock has a market cap of $254.62 billion, a PE ratio of 11.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.45. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $301.58 and its 200-day moving average price is $425.60. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 16th were paid a dividend of $2.21 per share. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $2.10. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 16th. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.15%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.02%.

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.