Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P. Acquires New Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P. purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 376 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock, valued at approximately $220,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of UNH. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 78,814.4% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 5,296,737 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $3,096,896,000 after acquiring an additional 5,290,025 shares in the last quarter. Swedbank AB purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter valued at $1,117,462,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 107.8% in the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,306,729 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,141,113,000 after buying an additional 1,196,758 shares during the last quarter. Lone Pine Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter worth approximately $480,903,000. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 30.0% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,816,254 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,942,956,000 after purchasing an additional 880,183 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.6 %

Shares of UNH stock opened at $562.13 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $519.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.62, a PEG ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.58. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $582.88 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $540.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $436.38 and a 52 week high of $608.63.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 15th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.15 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 business had revenue of $100.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $99.14 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $6.56 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th were issued a $2.10 dividend. This represents a $8.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.49%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 54.72%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on UNH. Jefferies Financial Group raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the company from $481.00 to $647.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $597.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Stephens dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $632.00 to $605.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. TD Cowen lifted their price target on shares of 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 research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $615.53.

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.