Astoria Portfolio Advisors LLC. Has $1.54 Million Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Astoria Portfolio Advisors LLC. increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 8.0% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,116 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 230 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for approximately 0.6% of Astoria Portfolio Advisors LLC.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Astoria Portfolio Advisors LLC.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,541,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of UNH. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth about $5,802,231,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 53,573.1% in the fourth quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,352,490 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,238,515,000 after acquiring an additional 2,348,107 shares during the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 49.3% in the fourth quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 3,617,813 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,904,670,000 after acquiring an additional 1,195,352 shares during the last quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 35.9% in the fourth quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 3,090,986 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,627,311,000 after acquiring an additional 815,822 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 3,464.9% in the fourth quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado now owns 825,311 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $434,501,000 after acquiring an additional 802,160 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Baird R W raised UnitedHealth Group to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Truist Financial reissued a “buy” rating and set a $600.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. HSBC raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $580.00 target price for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 5th. TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $607.00 to $546.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $545.00 to $562.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 19th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $579.74.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 4.7 %

NYSE UNH opened at $509.26 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $498.34 and its 200-day moving average is $502.27. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $436.38 and a one year high of $554.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $468.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.15, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.63 by $0.28. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 4.05%. The company had revenue of $99.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $99.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $6.26 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.57 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 17th were given a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.65%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 17th. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.88. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.34%.

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.