Principal Financial Group Inc. Acquires 180,479 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 11.3% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 1,778,636 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 180,479 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,039,933,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter worth approximately $2,905,000. Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.2% in the third quarter. Asset Planning Services Inc. LA ADV now owns 12,465 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $7,288,000 after buying an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 13.7% in the 3rd quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 24,976 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $14,603,000 after acquiring an additional 3,006 shares in the last quarter. Americana Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 10.8% during the third quarter. Americana Partners LLC now owns 20,377 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $11,914,000 after purchasing an additional 1,984 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Concord Investment Counsel Inc. bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 1st quarter valued at $14,544,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

NYSE:UNH opened at $596.69 on Thursday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $608.63. The company has a market cap of $551.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.58. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $581.13 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $543.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.88.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.00 by $0.15. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.37% and a net margin of 3.63%. The firm had revenue of $100.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.14 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $6.56 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th will be given a dividend of $2.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 9th. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.41%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is 54.72%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on UNH shares. StockNews.com cut UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $525.00 to $630.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Stephens decreased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. TD Cowen raised their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $601.00 to $609.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Finally, HSBC cut UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $615.53.

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.