Great Lakes Advisors LLC Invests $6.21 Million in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Great Lakes Advisors acquired 14,931 UnitedHealth shares worth approximately $6.21 million in the second quarter. Institutional investors collectively own 87.86% of the company, with major holders including Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street increasing their positions.
• UnitedHealth reported quarterly EPS of $6.38, beating estimates by $1.44, while revenue reached $112.03 billion. The company reaffirmed fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $19.50–$20.00 and analysts project $19.69 for the year.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $2.32, equivalent to $9.28 annually and a 2.4% yield. Analysts maintain a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating with an average price target of $455.92, though rising healthcare costs remain a potential margin pressure.

Great Lakes Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 14,931 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock, valued at approximately $6,207,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 91,600,260 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $30,238,162,000 after buying an additional 995,210 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 3,395,530 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 45,232,170 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $14,931,592,000 after acquiring an additional 1,119,834 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 22,591,042 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $7,457,723,000 after buying an additional 824,120 shares during the period. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 3.7% in the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 18,829,054 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $6,215,660,000 after acquiring an additional 680,077 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH stock opened at $390.94 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The company has a market cap of $350.91 billion, a PE ratio of 25.16, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.62. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $255.96 and a 12-month high of $461.62. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $413.99 and its 200-day simple moving average is $355.96.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 period in the prior year, the company posted $4.08 EPS. The firm'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. Analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 19.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 22nd. Investors of record on Monday, September 14th will be given a $2.32 dividend. This represents a $9.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 14th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 59.72%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 500 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $410.00, for a total transaction of $205,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 16,497 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,763,770. The trade was a 2.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.19% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

More UnitedHealth Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth is reportedly prioritizing Medicare Advantage profitability over rapid membership growth by tightening benefits, improving pricing and controlling costs. The strategy could support stronger margins and more sustainable earnings, even if enrollment growth moderates. Is UnitedHealth Finding a Better Path to Medicare Advantage Growth?
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research added UNH to its Rank #1, or “Strong Buy,” lists for overall stocks, value stocks and income stocks. The repeated favorable rankings may reinforce investor confidence in the shares. New Strong Buy Stocks for August 21st
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised several forward EPS estimates, including Q1 2028 to $7.36 from $6.78 and Q2 2028 to $7.19 from $5.84. A separate report also noted an increase in the Q1 EPS estimate, while Zacks maintained a Strong Buy rating. Q1 EPS Estimate for UnitedHealth Group Increased by Analyst
• Neutral Sentiment: Forecast revisions were mixed: Q3 2027 EPS was reduced to $4.74 from $4.81 and Q4 2027 to $4.07 from $4.12, partially offsetting the increases for 2028.
• Negative Sentiment: Aon expects U.S. employer health-care costs to rise 9.5% in 2027. Persistent medical-cost inflation could pressure insurers’ margins and increase pricing, benefit and utilization-management challenges for UnitedHealth. AON Sees No Relief From Health-Cost Inflation

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNH has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised UnitedHealth Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, August 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $466.00 to $516.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Barclays upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $429.00 to $441.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $463.00 to $478.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, HSBC lifted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $300.00 to $380.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $455.92.

UnitedHealth Group Company 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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