5 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Thomas Bailard’s Hedge Fund

1. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Bailard Inc.’s Stake Value: $37,559,000

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is an American multinational healthcare company that also provides related insurance services. Mizuho lifted its price target on the stock in August to $600 with a Buy rating on the shares, appreciating the company’s strong Q2 results and its overall business outlook.

In Q2 2022, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) represented 1.47% of Bailard Inc.’s portfolio. The hedge fund owned 73,124 shares in the company, valued at over $37.5 million. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) started paying annual dividends in 1990 and shifted to quarterly payments in 2010. The company maintains a 12-year streak of dividend growth, raising its payout by 130% in the last five years. It currently pays a quarterly dividend of $1.65 per share, with a dividend yield of 1.27%, as recorded on August 31.

At the end of Q2 2022, 91 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database owned stakes in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), falling from 103 in the previous quarter. These stakes hold a total value of roughly $11 billion. Rajiv Jain, John Armitage, and Ken Griffin were some of the company’s major stakeholders in Q2.

Wedgewood Partners mentioned UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) in its Q2 2022 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

“UnitedHealth Group also contributed to performance during the quarter. United’s operating income grew +3% on difficult year-ago comparisons as benefits members utilized more services compared to last year. Optum Health grew operating income +40% as more patients are enrolled in the Company’s value-based care services. The Company estimates nearly a third of all medical care is unnecessary and represents an opportunity to capture savings for both patients. Optum’s integrated platform of patient data, IT, and service providers are focused on driving out these unnecessary costs and should serve as the engine for long-term, mid-teens earnings per share growth.”

You can also take a look at 10 Small-Cap Stocks that Pay Dividends and Warren Buffett’s 10 Favorite Dividend Stocks for the Rest of 2022

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