UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH Stock Sold by Cooke & Bieler LP

Cooke & Bieler LP trimmed its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 35.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 213,174 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 119,281 shares during the period. Cooke & Bieler LP’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $78,252,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Corient Private Wealth LP bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 2nd quarter valued at about $245,516,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,444,928,000. Jupiter Topco LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,019,844,000. BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 4.6% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 76,863,061 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $31,946,594,000 after purchasing an additional 3,395,530 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth approximately $971,757,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

NYSE UNH opened at $416.95 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $387.63 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $388.48. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $255.96 and a 12-month high of $461.62. The company has a market capitalization of $374.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.81, a P/E/G ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $4.69 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.14 by $0.55. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.53% and a return on equity of 17.95%. The company had revenue of $112.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $111.31 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.59 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 20.500- EPS. Analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 20.64 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 22nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 14th were paid a dividend of $2.32 per share. This represents a $9.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 14th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 53.00%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Conway sold 1,169 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $390.00, for a total value of $455,910.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 15,328 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,977,920. The trade was a 7.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.19% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on UNH. Argus raised their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $470.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 20th. KeyCorp reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, October 14th. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $453.00 to $427.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 14th. Stephens set a $500.00 price target on UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Friday, October 16th. Finally, New Street Research set a $402.00 price target on UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, October 9th. Twenty equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $463.57.

UnitedHealth Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth’s third-quarter adjusted earnings per share increased approximately 61% year over year, while management raised its full-year earnings outlook. The 88.4% medical care ratio also indicates improved profitability, as the company retained more premium revenue after paying medical claims. UnitedHealth’s Earnings Jumped 60%. Is the Comeback Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains broadly bullish, with the average brokerage recommendation equivalent to a Buy. Separate bullish commentary points to Optum’s recovery, improved contract quality at Optum Health, margin expansion and potential AI-related efficiency gains as drivers of double-digit earnings growth through 2028. UnitedHealth: Optum’s Recovery Supports My Strong Buy Rating
• Positive Sentiment: Technical-market commentary suggested UNH shares could extend their rally, reinforcing the view that the stock’s recovery trend remains intact after its recent rebound. Mapping the Market: UnitedHealth shares look ready to extend rally
• Neutral Sentiment: Optum generated roughly half of UnitedHealth’s reported second-quarter operating earnings, providing diversification from the insurance business. However, medical inflation and Medicare funding pressure affect both insurance and care-delivery operations, making the durability of future margins a key investment question. UnitedHealth: Does Optum Truly Diversify Its Earnings Risk?
• Negative Sentiment: Healthcare stocks weakened broadly late Wednesday, creating sector-level pressure on UNH despite its company-specific earnings improvement. Sector Update: Healthcare Stocks Softer Late Afternoon
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that older Americans face higher healthcare and prescription-drug costs, alongside insurers reducing some services, highlight affordability, utilization and political risks ahead of the midterm elections. Older Americans brace for higher healthcare costs ahead of midterms

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health care company that provides health insurance coverage, health care services, pharmacy services and health technology. Its businesses serve individuals, employers, government programs, health care providers and other organizations, primarily in the United States.

The company operates through two principal businesses. UnitedHealthcare offers health benefit plans and related services for employers, individuals, families and government-sponsored programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.