ICON Advisers cut its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) by 6.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The hedge fund owned 56,200 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 3,800 shares during the period. ICON Advisers’ holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $6,520,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of UNH. Beacon Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth $0. Kistler-Tiffany Companies increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 15.5% in the fourth quarter. Kistler-Tiffany Companies now owns 3,387 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $398,000 after buying an additional 454 shares during the period. Curbstone Financial Management increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 86.3% in the fourth quarter. Curbstone Financial Management now owns 5,450 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $641,000 after buying an additional 2,525 shares during the period. River & Mercantile Asset Management bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth $2,148,000. Finally, Southport Capital Management increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 67.2% in the fourth quarter. Southport Capital Management now owns 20,517 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $2,414,000 after buying an additional 8,246 shares during the period.

UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) traded up 0.73% on Friday, reaching $114.33. 3,622,152 shares of the company traded hands. UnitedHealth Group Inc has a one year low of $95.00 and a one year high of $126.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $110.56 billion and a PE ratio of 19.02. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $115.39 and a 200-day moving average of $117.63.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 19th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $1.40 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $1.38 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $43.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $43.26 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.55 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 30.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Inc will post $7.73 EPS for the current year.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on UNH. FBR & Co. reduced their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $135.00 to $130.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, November 19th. Jefferies Group dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group to $142.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 20th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $139.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Friday, November 20th. Raymond James dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $146.00 to $140.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 20th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus restated a “buy” rating and issued a $148.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, December 2nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $140.48.

In related news, Director William C. Ballard, Jr. sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.13, for a total transaction of $1,141,300.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 67,357 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,687,454.41. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is a health and well-being company. The Company’s business platforms include UnitedHealthcare and Optum. UnitedHealthcare provides health care benefits to various customers and markets. Optum is a health services business serving the health care marketplace, including payers, care providers, employers, Governments, life sciences companies and consumers. The Company’s business platforms have four segments: UnitedHealthcare, OptumHealth, OptumInsight and OptumRx. UnitedHealthcare includes UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual, UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, UnitedHealthcare Community & State and UnitedHealthcare Global. OptumHealth is a health and wellness business serving the physical, emotional and financial needs of individuals. OptumInsight provides technology, operational and consulting services to participants in the health care industry. OptumRx provides a range of pharmacy benefit management (NYSE:UNH) services.

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