Chesley Taft & Associates LLC Purchases 1,802 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Chesley Taft & Associates LLC lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 5.6% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 33,931 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,802 shares during the period. Chesley Taft & Associates LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $17,771,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. NewSquare Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Hurley Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Promus Capital LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $300.37 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $272.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.38, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.56. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $248.88 and a one year high of $630.73. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $418.00 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $488.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.91.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 17th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.20 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.29 by ($0.09). UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.69% and a net margin of 3.60%. The business had revenue of $109.58 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.56 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $6.91 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $525.00 to $405.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 15th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $525.00 to $355.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 16th. Bank of America cut shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $560.00 to $350.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 14th. Raymond James lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 14th. Finally, TD Securities restated a “hold” rating and set a $308.00 price target (down from $520.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Monday, May 19th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $428.43.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director John H. Noseworthy bought 300 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 14th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $312.16 per share, for a total transaction of $93,648.00. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 6,063 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,892,626.08. The trade was a 5.21% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Kristen Gil acquired 3,700 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 15th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $271.17 per share, with a total value of $1,003,329.00. Following the purchase, the director now owns 3,818 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,035,327.06. This trade represents a 3,135.59% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders purchased 109,408 shares of company stock worth $31,607,768. Corporate insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

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.