Calamos Advisors LLC Decreases Stock Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Calamos Advisors LLC lowered its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 2.3% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 381,601 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 9,048 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up about 1.0% of Calamos Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest position. Calamos Advisors LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $200,901,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in UNH. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 100,076.4% during the fourth quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 11,823,820 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $6,268,753,000 after acquiring an additional 11,812,017 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth approximately $5,210,004,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1,682.4% during the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,691,542 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,372,606,000 after purchasing an additional 2,540,538 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 53,573.1% during the fourth quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,352,490 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,238,515,000 after purchasing an additional 2,348,107 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barclays PLC boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 143.4% during the second quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 3,494,100 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,679,401,000 after purchasing an additional 2,058,829 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

UNH traded up $14.19 on Thursday, reaching $493.18. 8,836,148 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,524,917. The stock has a market cap of $454.68 billion, a PE ratio of 30.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 0.54. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a twelve month low of $436.38 and a twelve month high of $554.70. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $489.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $515.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.79.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.63 by $0.28. The firm had revenue of $99.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 26.50%. 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 posted $6.26 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.75 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th were issued a $1.88 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 8th. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.52%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 45.97%.

Insider Activity

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on UNH shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $591.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. Piper Sandler raised their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $566.00 to $571.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Oppenheimer restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $610.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $600.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $607.00 to $546.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $569.68.

UnitedHealth Group Company 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.