Gradient Investments LLC Sells 12,077 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Gradient Investments LLC lessened its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 8.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 139,811 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 12,077 shares during the quarter. Gradient Investments LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $58,109,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 91,600,260 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $30,238,162,000 after buying an additional 995,210 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 2.5% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 45,232,170 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $14,931,592,000 after purchasing an additional 1,119,834 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 3.8% in the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 22,591,042 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $7,457,723,000 after purchasing an additional 824,120 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 3.7% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 18,829,054 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $6,215,660,000 after acquiring an additional 680,077 shares during the period. Finally, Capital International Investors boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 6.6% during the fourth quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 18,655,111 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $6,158,734,000 after acquiring an additional 1,155,162 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. BMO Capital Markets set a $512.00 price objective on UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Robert W. Baird upgraded UnitedHealth Group from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $287.00 to $453.00 in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $429.00 to $441.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $470.00 to $493.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $468.00 to $529.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $455.92.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $406.54 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $244.37 and a one year high of $461.62. The company has a current ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $414.09 and a 200 day simple moving average of $350.83. The firm has a market capitalization of $369.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.16, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.94 by $1.44. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.14% and a return on equity of 16.53%. The firm had revenue of $112.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $110.81 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $4.08 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .4% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 19.500-20.000 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 19.69 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were issued a $2.32 dividend. This represents a $9.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $2.21. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is currently 59.72%.

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 500 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $410.00, for a total transaction of $205,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 16,497 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,763,770. This trade represents a 2.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.19% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

UnitedHealth Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth was highlighted as a leading long-term value stock by Zacks, supporting the view that its scale, diversified healthcare operations and earnings potential could appeal to long-term investors. Why UnitedHealth Group Is a Top Value Stock for the Long-Term
• Positive Sentiment: UNH was included among healthcare stocks benefiting from strengthening defensive demand and improving earnings expectations. The company’s recent quarterly results also exceeded consensus estimates, with earnings of $6.38 per share versus expectations of $4.94, while maintaining 2026 earnings guidance of $19.50 to $20.00 per share. 4 Healthcare Stocks to Watch as Defensive Demand Strengthens
• Positive Sentiment: A separate report said UnitedHealth is regaining investor favor after a volatile period, suggesting improving sentiment around the company’s outlook and recovery potential. Why UnitedHealth Group Is Regaining Favor After a Volatile Stretch
• Neutral Sentiment: UnitedHealth was described as the leader of its health-insurance peer group, but investors are paying a premium for that perceived quality. The valuation could remain justified if the company sustains superior execution, though it may limit further upside if growth slows. UNH Leads Its Peer Group. You Pay For That
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 500 UNH shares for approximately $205,000, reducing his direct holdings by 2.94%. The sale is relatively small compared with his remaining stake, but insider selling can create a modest sentiment headwind. SEC Insider Transaction Filing

UnitedHealth Group Company 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.