Arizona State Retirement System Sells 9,739 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Arizona State Retirement System trimmed its stake in UnitedHealth Group, selling 9,739 shares (a 3.7% reduction) and finishing the quarter with 255,224 shares worth about $84.25 million.
• UnitedHealth Group beat Q1 estimates (adjusted EPS $7.23 vs. $6.76 and revenue $111.65B), raised FY‑2026 guidance to roughly 18.25 EPS, and drew multiple analyst upgrades and increased bullish investor positioning.

Arizona State Retirement System reduced its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 3.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 255,224 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 9,739 shares during the quarter. Arizona State Retirement System's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $84,252,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of UNH. Capital Research Global Investors grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 126.9% during the 3rd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 13,042,049 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $4,503,419,000 after acquiring an additional 7,293,009 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 18.8% in the 3rd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 21,766,922 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $7,516,107,000 after buying an additional 3,439,182 shares during the period. Capital International Investors increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 11.1% in the third quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 17,499,949 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $6,042,710,000 after purchasing an additional 1,747,337 shares during the period. Lone Pine Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth approximately $528,273,000. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 152.3% during the 3rd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,823,871 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $629,783,000 after acquiring an additional 1,100,850 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and raised full‑year outlook — UNH reported Q1 adjusted EPS of $7.23 (vs. street ~$6.76) and revenue ~ $111.7B, and raised FY‑2026 guidance (management set ~18.25 EPS range), which drove the initial rally. UnitedHealth just raised its full-year guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Broad analyst support — Several firms (Morgan Stanley, RBC, Oppenheimer, Wells Fargo, Leerink and Argus) raised price targets and upgraded ratings after the quarter, signaling renewed conviction from Wall Street. This buying from analysts is reinforcing the move higher. These Analysts Increase Their Forecasts On UnitedHealth After Upbeat Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Options flow & investor positioning — Unusual call buying (roughly 164k calls, ~30% above average) shows short‑term bullish speculative interest that can amplify upward momentum. (No link available)
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic investments highlighted — Management emphasized AI initiatives and value‑based care expansion (plus a new rural health initiative), which investors see as catalysts for margin expansion and long‑term growth. UNH Q1 Deep Dive: AI Investment and Value-Based Care Drive UnitedHealth’s Strong Start
• Neutral Sentiment: Long‑term value narrative — Several commentary pieces (Zacks, MSN features) argue UNH is a value/quality pick for long‑term investors given earnings power and discounted valuation vs. history; this is more strategic than an immediate price driver. Why UnitedHealth Group (UNH) is a Top Value Stock for the Long-Term
• Neutral Sentiment: Governance spotlight — A shareholder proposal to require a future Board chair be independent has attracted attention; the board opposes it. Governance votes can influence sentiment but are uncertain near‑term. Independent Chair Proposal Tests Governance And Valuation Views At UnitedHealth Group
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed analyst signals remain — Some firms maintain cautious ratings (TD Cowen raised target but kept a "hold" implying slight downside; Robert W. Baird recently flagged an underperform view), so not all analysts are convinced the turnaround is durable. Benzinga coverage of analyst actions

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 0.3%

Shares of UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $354.66 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $234.60 and a 12-month high of $429.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The business's 50 day moving average is $292.17 and its 200-day moving average is $317.36. The stock has a market cap of $322.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.79, a P/E/G ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.40.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.76 by $0.47. The business had revenue of $111.65 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.84 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.68% and a return on equity of 14.65%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $7.20 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. Equities research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Monday, March 9th were issued a dividend of $2.21 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 9th. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 67.02%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on UNH shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $425.00 to $389.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Raymond James Financial raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $330.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $361.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday. Truist Financial reissued a "buy" rating and set a $395.00 target price (up from $370.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, KeyCorp reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $377.64.

About UnitedHealth Group

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.

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