GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd Sells 150,723 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• GUARDCAP Asset Management reduced its UnitedHealth Group stake by 15.4% in the fourth quarter, selling 150,723 shares and leaving it with 829,546 shares worth about $273.9 million.
• Analysts remain upbeat on UNH, with several firms raising price targets; the stock now has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $397.63.
• UnitedHealth reported strong quarterly results, beating earnings and revenue estimates, while management and analysts continue to project further EPS growth going forward.

GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd trimmed its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 15.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 829,546 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 150,723 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group accounts for 7.3% of GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd's investment portfolio, making the stock its 5th largest holding. GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd owned 0.09% of UnitedHealth Group worth $273,851,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of UNH. Guerra Advisors Inc bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,059,000. Money Concepts Capital Corp grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 59.1% in the 3rd quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 12,380 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $4,275,000 after purchasing an additional 4,600 shares during the period. Public Sector Pension Investment Board grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 43.1% in the 3rd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 287,132 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $99,147,000 after purchasing an additional 86,432 shares during the period. Oberndorf William E bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $12,276,000. Finally, Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 15.2% in the 3rd quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 48,745 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $16,832,000 after purchasing an additional 6,421 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNH has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Oppenheimer upped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $385.00 to $405.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Argus upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $400.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $361.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Leerink Partners increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $345.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $389.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have assigned a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $397.63.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

NYSE:UNH opened at $379.70 on Friday. The business's 50-day moving average price is $336.85 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $321.55. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a twelve month low of $234.60 and a twelve month high of $404.15. The stock has a market cap of $344.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.68, a PEG ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.76 by $0.47. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 14.65% and a net margin of 2.68%.The firm had revenue of $111.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $109.84 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $7.20 EPS. The company's revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total value of $284,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 17,805 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,320,775. This trade represents a 4.30% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

UnitedHealth Group News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealthcare said it will eliminate prior authorization requirements for nearly two-thirds of pediatric services by year-end. That could reduce administrative friction, improve patient/provider relations, and support customer satisfaction. Reuters article
• Positive Sentiment: Bernstein raised its price target on UNH to $492 from $444 and kept an Outperform rating, citing an EPS recovery outlook. Higher price targets from analysts can help reinforce investor confidence. Yahoo Finance article
• Neutral Sentiment: Berkshire Hathaway fully exited its UNH stake, which is drawing attention to valuation and regulatory risks. While not necessarily a fundamental change, the sale may weigh on sentiment around the stock. Yahoo Finance article
• Negative Sentiment: Massachusetts filed a lawsuit against a UnitedHealth insurance unit, alleging more than $100 million in Medicaid fraud tied to inflated illness severity claims. The lawsuit adds legal and reputational risk for UNH. Investing.com article

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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