2,711 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH Shares Sold by Townsend & Associates Inc

Key Points

• Townsend & Associates cut its UnitedHealth stake by 76.8% in the third quarter, selling 2,711 shares and retaining 819 shares valued at approximately $329,000.
• UnitedHealth exceeded third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, reporting adjusted EPS of $4.69 versus $4.14 expected and revenue of $112.7 billion versus $111.3 billion. Management raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to at least $20.50, while Optum Health profit rose to $735 million.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive, with 20 Buy ratings and eight Holds and a consensus price target of $463.80, although higher projected 2027 Medicare costs could pressure margins and affordability.

Townsend & Associates Inc reduced its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 76.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 819 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 2,711 shares during the period. Townsend & Associates Inc's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $329,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.6% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 76,863,061 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $31,946,594,000 after acquiring an additional 3,395,530 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 45,633,267 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $18,966,555,000 after acquiring an additional 301,081 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 21.8% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 11,713,684 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $3,169,606,000 after acquiring an additional 2,097,859 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 6.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 10,704,994 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $4,449,317,000 after purchasing an additional 616,723 shares during the period. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 5.8% in the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 10,675,175 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $4,436,923,000 after purchasing an additional 583,536 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter beat and raised outlook support the shares. Adjusted EPS rose approximately 61% to $4.69, exceeding the $4.14 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $112.7 billion versus expectations of $111.3 billion. Management raised its 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to at least $20.50, reinforcing investor confidence in its cost controls and execution. UnitedHealth beat-and-raise quarter
• Positive Sentiment: Optum Health’s performance improved materially. The unit’s profit increased to $735 million, helping demonstrate operating leverage and contributing to UnitedHealth’s post-earnings recovery. Optum Health profit surge
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst expectations and valuation support remain favorable. Erste Group raised its FY2026 EPS estimate to $20.55 from $19.86 and its FY2027 estimate to $23.29 from $22.51. Mizuho also lifted its price target to $500 from $493 and maintained an “outperform” rating, implying additional upside from the referenced price. Mizuho raises UnitedHealth price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention and value-based coverage may increase trading interest. Zacks highlighted heightened investor attention and characterized UNH as a value stock, but these are sentiment and screening signals rather than new fundamental developments. Zacks value-stock analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Higher 2027 Medicare costs could pressure affordability and margins. The planned increase in costs for seniors may create political and utilization concerns, potentially offsetting some of the recent earnings momentum. Healthcare stocks also faced broader sector pressure in recent trading. UnitedHealth 2027 Medicare costs

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 0.0%

Shares of UNH stock opened at $417.97 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 0.74. The stock has a market capitalization of $375.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $388.47 and a 200 day moving average price of $390.48. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $255.96 and a fifty-two week high of $461.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $4.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.14 by $0.55. The firm had revenue of $112.70 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.31 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.53% and a return on equity of 17.95%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.59 EPS. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 20.500- EPS. Equities research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 20.62 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

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

Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group

In other news, CEO Patrick Conway sold 1,169 shares of the 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 sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 15,328 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,977,920. This trade represents a 7.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.19% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have issued reports on UNH. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $512.00 to $500.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 14th. Barclays lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $441.00 to $440.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 14th. Zacks Research cut UnitedHealth Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Bank of America reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $450.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $440.00 to $495.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Twenty analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $463.80.

UnitedHealth Group Profile

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.

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