Guardian Capital LLC Makes New Investment in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Guardian Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 3,797 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock, valued at approximately $1,253,000. UnitedHealth Group makes up about 1.1% of Guardian Capital LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 27th biggest position.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Anfield Capital Management LLC lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 220.0% during the 4th quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 80 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 69.4% in the 3rd quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 83 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the period. Finally, 1248 Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 1.4%

Shares of UNH opened at $393.65 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $234.60 and a 52 week high of $404.15. The firm has a market cap of $357.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.64. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $316.82 and its 200 day simple moving average is $318.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.80.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.76 by $0.47. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.68% and a return on equity of 14.65%. The business had revenue of $111.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.84 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $7.20 EPS. UnitedHealth Group’s quarterly revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. On average, analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.29 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 9th were given a dividend of $2.21 per share. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 9th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 66.77%.

Insider Activity

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total transaction of $284,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 17,805 shares in the company, valued at $6,320,775. This represents a 4.30% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on UNH shares. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $340.00 to $373.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, April 20th. Leerink Partners upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $345.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $389.00 to $420.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $327.00 to $373.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $278.00 to $287.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $378.88.

Key Headlines Impacting UnitedHealth Group

Here are the key news stories impacting UnitedHealth Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank slightly raised its earnings estimates for UnitedHealth and kept a Buy rating, reinforcing the view that the company’s profit outlook remains solid. MarketBeat UNH report
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary remains upbeat after UnitedHealth’s strong first-quarter results, with analysts and market watchers pointing to a substantial rebound since March lows and improved investor confidence in the stock’s longer-term earnings power. Seeking Alpha article
• Neutral Sentiment: The broader market tone was positive, with major indexes closing higher and hitting new highs, which may have helped sentiment across large-cap healthcare stocks.
• Negative Sentiment: Berkshire Hathaway disclosed that it sold several smaller holdings, including UnitedHealth, which may raise concerns that a high-profile investor is reducing exposure to the stock. Reuters article

UnitedHealth Group Profile

UnitedHealth Group Inc is a diversified health care company headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, that operates two primary business platforms: UnitedHealthcare and Optum. Founded in 1977, the company provides a broad range of health benefits and health care services to individuals, employers, governmental entities and other organizations. Its operations span commercial employer-sponsored plans, individual and Medicare and Medicaid programs, and services for customers and health systems in the United States and selected international markets.

UnitedHealthcare is the company’s benefits business, administering health plans and networks, managing provider relationships, and offering coverage products for employers, individuals, and government-sponsored programs.