Guardian Partners Inc. Lowers Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Guardian Partners reduced its UnitedHealth stake by 24.6% in the first quarter, selling 4,319 shares and retaining 13,243 shares valued at approximately $3.59 million.
• Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of UnitedHealth’s outstanding shares, with Vanguard, State Street, Capital World Investors and others increasing their positions during the fourth quarter.
• UnitedHealth reported quarterly EPS of $6.38, beating expectations of $4.94, and revenue of $112.03 billion. The company maintained 2026 EPS guidance of $19.50–$20.00 and raised its quarterly dividend to $2.32 per share.

Guardian Partners Inc. trimmed its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 24.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 13,243 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 4,319 shares during the quarter. Guardian Partners Inc.'s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,592,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of UNH. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 91,600,260 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $30,238,162,000 after acquiring an additional 995,210 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 2.5% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 45,232,170 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $14,931,592,000 after purchasing an additional 1,119,834 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 3.8% during the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 22,591,042 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $7,457,723,000 after purchasing an additional 824,120 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its position 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 worth $6,215,660,000 after buying an additional 680,077 shares during the period. Finally, Capital International Investors raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 6.6% during the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 18,655,111 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $6,158,734,000 after buying an additional 1,155,162 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH stock opened at $428.94 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $389.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.60, a PEG ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.62. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $234.60 and a one year high of $461.62. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $409.32 and its 200-day simple moving average is $346.72.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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. The firm had revenue of $112.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $110.81 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 16.53% and a net margin of 3.14%.UnitedHealth Group's revenue for the quarter was up .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.08 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 19.500-20.000 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 19.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

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

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNH has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $466.00 to $516.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $468.00 to $529.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. HC Wainwright set a $492.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Bank of America reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Mizuho lifted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $470.00 to $493.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $455.92.

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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