Cullinan Associates Inc. Trims Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Cullinan Associates Inc. cut its UnitedHealth Group stake by 36.4% in the first quarter, selling 2,375 shares and ending with 4,154 shares valued at about $1.124 million.
• Despite some mixed sentiment in the sector, Wall Street remains largely bullish on UNH, with several analysts raising price targets and the consensus rating sitting at “Moderate Buy” with an average target of $417.38.
• UnitedHealth recently beat quarterly earnings and revenue estimates and increased its dividend to $2.32 per share, while the stock traded near its 12-month high of $434.30.

Cullinan Associates Inc. lowered its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 36.4% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 4,154 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 2,375 shares during the period. Cullinan Associates Inc.'s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,124,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Anfield Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 220.0% in the fourth quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 80 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More UnitedHealth Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada raised its price target on UnitedHealth Group to $463 from $400 and kept an outperform rating, signaling continued upside potential ahead of earnings. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealthcare launched a Lifestyle Spending Account benefit through UHC Store, which could make UNH more attractive to employers by adding flexible wellness benefits and simplifying administration. Article
• Positive Sentiment: Several recent articles highlight bullish setup momentum into the company’s July 16 earnings report, with investors expecting earnings and guidance to remain important catalysts. Article
• Neutral Sentiment: UnitedHealth’s home health program HouseCall was reported to be associated with fewer inpatient stays and ER visits, which is a positive operational sign but not an immediate market-moving event. Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary also noted that UnitedHealth has delivered strong cash returns to shareholders over time, but some analysts are questioning whether the stock is now fully valued after its sharp recovery. Article
• Negative Sentiment: The broader healthcare sector was one of the weakest parts of the market today, and UNH was specifically cited as a drag on the Dow, which can weigh on the stock even if company-specific news is favorable. Article

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have commented on UNH shares. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $395.00 to $440.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, June 1st. HC Wainwright set a $492.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. UBS Group boosted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $410.00 to $460.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $370.00 to $397.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $417.38.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total transaction of $284,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 17,805 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,320,775. The trade was a 4.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

NYSE UNH traded down $6.63 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $425.05. 3,797,031 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,701,382. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $399.40 and a 200 day moving average of $338.88. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $234.60 and a 12-month high of $434.30. The company has a market cap of $386.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.62.

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 (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.76 by $0.47. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 14.65% and a net margin of 2.68%.The business had revenue of $111.65 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.84 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $7.20 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.32 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared 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 was Monday, June 15th. This represents a $9.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.21. UnitedHealth Group's payout ratio is 70.09%.

UnitedHealth Group 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.

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