5 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy and Hold

4. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 110

Dividend Yield as of January 17: 1.35%

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments – UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is one of the best dividend stocks to invest in. On January 13, the company reported that Q4 adjusted EPS increased 19.2% year-over-year to $5.34 and the total revenues grew 12.3% year-over-year to $82.79 billion. The company’s full year 2022 revenues grew 13% from the prior-year quarter to $324.16 billion, with double digit growth at both Optum and UnitedHealthcare, supported primarily by catering to more patients. 

On January 17, Loop Capital analyst Joseph France raised the price target on UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) to $590 from $575 and kept a Buy rating on the shares. The analyst cited the company’s “strong” Q4 results and 2023 outlook. 

According to Insider Monkey’s data, 110 hedge funds were long UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) at the end of Q3 2022, compared to 91 funds in the prior quarter. Rajiv Jain’s GQG Partners is the leading stakeholder of the company, with 3.2 million shares worth $1.6 billion. 

Here is what Stewart Asset Management has to say about UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) in its Q3 2022 investor letter:

“Looking at the Great Recession which began at year-end 2007 and lasted to mid-year 2009 is helpful too. Our four largest current holdings in the portfolio weathered that period well. UnitedHealth’s (NYSE:UNH) earnings were resilient. While it reported modestly down earnings in 2008, its earnings rebounded quickly to record highs in 2010 and the shares responded strongly in anticipation of this.”