California State Teachers Retirement System Cuts Stock Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

California State Teachers Retirement System decreased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 2.4% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,355,931 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 33,063 shares during the quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System owned 0.15% of UnitedHealth Group worth $366,901,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth $4,376,167,000. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 141.9% in the fourth quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,109,029 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $1,356,432,000 after purchasing an additional 2,410,128 shares during the period. Cardano Risk Management B.V. increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 864.4% during the 4th quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 2,523,700 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $833,099,000 after purchasing an additional 2,262,006 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 87.5% in the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 3,916,041 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $1,294,367,000 after buying an additional 1,826,948 shares during the period. Finally, Lone Pine Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth approximately $528,273,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on UNH shares. BMO Capital Markets set a $512.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $468.00 to $529.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Erste Group Bank raised UnitedHealth Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Barclays lifted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $429.00 to $441.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $397.00 to $485.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $455.92.

UnitedHealth Group News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Major Q2 earnings beat supports the rally. UnitedHealth reported adjusted earnings of $6.38 per share versus the $4.94 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $112.03 billion, above expectations of $110.81 billion. Management maintained 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $19.50 to $20.00, reinforcing confidence in the recovery. What's next for UnitedHealth after its major Q2 earnings beat
• Positive Sentiment: Improved medical costs and conservative guidance are encouraging investors. The company’s improved medical loss ratio helped results, and some investors view the cautious outlook as a buffer against future volatility. However, part of the margin improvement came from exiting unprofitable markets rather than broad-based operating gains. UnitedHealth Group Stock Opinions on Q2 Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: The stock’s rebound after Berkshire Hathaway’s exit is being viewed favorably. Commentary noting that Berkshire likely sold too early highlights renewed investor confidence in UNH, though it does not change the company’s fundamentals. UnitedHealth Stock Has Rallied Big Since Berkshire Bailed
• Neutral Sentiment: Medicare Part D pricing creates both opportunity and risk. The planned expiration of federal subsidies could lead to higher premiums for stand-alone Medicare drug plans next year. Higher pricing may support insurers’ revenue, but it could also reduce affordability and enrollment, creating uncertainty for UnitedHealth’s Medicare business. Why Prices Could Rise for Medicare Drug Plans Next Year
• Negative Sentiment: Medicaid pressure and questions about earnings durability remain risks. Analysts have noted that market exits contributed to the better medical loss ratio, while Medicaid challenges and the stock’s rapid advance could limit additional near-term upside. UnitedHealth Pulls Back Post 52-Week High

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $428.94 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.78 and a quick ratio of 0.80. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $234.60 and a 12 month high of $461.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $389.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.60, a P/E/G ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.62. The company's fifty day moving average price is $409.32 and its 200 day moving average price is $346.72.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.94 by $1.44. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 16.53% and a net margin of 3.14%.The company had revenue of $112.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $110.81 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $4.08 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up .4% compared to the same quarter last year. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 19.500-20.000 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 19.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were issued a $2.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. This is an increase from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.21. This represents a $9.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 59.72%.

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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