Violich Capital Management Inc. Has $18.09 Million Stock Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Violich Capital Management Inc. lessened its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 4.5% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 35,755 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 1,670 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up 2.4% of Violich Capital Management Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 10th biggest position. Violich Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $18,087,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 77.4% during the fourth quarter. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,971 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,503,000 after acquiring an additional 1,296 shares in the last quarter. First Fiduciary Investment Counsel Inc. raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 74.1% during the fourth quarter. First Fiduciary Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 17,332 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $8,768,000 after acquiring an additional 7,374 shares in the last quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 17.4% in the fourth quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC now owns 16,003 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $8,095,000 after purchasing an additional 2,372 shares in the last quarter. Sapient Capital LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Sapient Capital LLC now owns 175,619 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $88,839,000 after purchasing an additional 2,580 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Paladin Wealth LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 5.8% in the fourth quarter. Paladin Wealth LLC now owns 2,497 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,263,000 after purchasing an additional 136 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 1.2 %

NYSE UNH opened at $533.17 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $529.18 and its 200 day moving average is $564.40. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $436.38 and a 12 month high of $630.73. The stock has a market cap of $490.66 billion, a PE ratio of 34.40, a P/E/G ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.61.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.81 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.74 by $0.07. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.69% and a net margin of 3.60%. The company had revenue of $100.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $101.60 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $5.83 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Timothy Patrick Flynn acquired 1,000 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Friday, January 17th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $511.57 per share, with a total value of $511,570.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 4,500 shares in the company, valued at $2,302,065. The trade was a 28.57 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNH has been the subject of a number of research reports. TD Cowen increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $601.00 to $609.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 18th. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $615.00 to $610.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $694.00 to $660.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $700.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $655.00 to $642.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $629.32.

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.