HWG Holdings LP Grows Position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• HWG Holdings LP increased its UnitedHealth Group stake by 20.7% in the third quarter, owning 16,839 shares valued at approximately $6.18 million. Institutional investors collectively hold 87.86% of the company.
• UnitedHealth reported quarterly revenue of $112.03 billion and adjusted earnings of $6.38 per share, exceeding analyst expectations. The company maintained fiscal 2026 earnings guidance of $19.50–$20.00 per share and pays an annualized dividend of $9.28, yielding about 2.5%.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $465.75, although concerns include elevated medical costs, Medicare business scrutiny and limited upside at the current valuation.

HWG Holdings LP raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 20.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 16,839 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after purchasing an additional 2,892 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group accounts for about 1.4% of HWG Holdings LP's investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest holding. HWG Holdings LP's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $6,181,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 4.6% during the 2nd 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 during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 45,633,267 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $18,966,555,000 after buying an additional 301,081 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 6.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 10,704,994 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $4,449,317,000 after acquiring an additional 616,723 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 5.8% in the second quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 10,675,175 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $4,436,923,000 after acquiring an additional 583,536 shares during the period. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LP lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 1,443.7% during the second quarter. Corient Private Wealth LP now owns 8,447,224 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $3,510,920,000 after purchasing an additional 7,900,011 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH opened at $375.23 on Thursday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $255.96 and a 52 week high of $461.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The stock has a market cap of $336.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.15, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.60. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $390.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $379.64.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results 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 net margin of 3.14% and a return on equity of 16.53%. The company had revenue of $112.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $110.81 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm 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. On average, analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 19.85 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 22nd. Investors of record on Monday, September 14th were issued a $2.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 14th. This represents a $9.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 59.72%.

Key UnitedHealth Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to identify UnitedHealth as a potential value opportunity after its recovery from earlier lows. Supporters point to improving margins, Medicare Advantage stabilization and the strength of the Optum businesses. Here's Why UnitedHealth Group Is a Strong Value Stock
• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth was included among stocks discussed on CNBC’s “Final Trades,” providing some additional visibility and suggesting that at least some market participants view the shares favorably. EQT, UnitedHealth, Clearway Energy and More on CNBC’s Final Trades
• Neutral Sentiment: UnitedHealth’s after-hours indication was reported above the prior close, but the brief market update provided no fundamental catalyst or new company announcement to explain the move. UnitedHealth Group Stock After-Hours Update
• Neutral Sentiment: UnitedHealth is projected to report third-quarter results soon. Investors will focus on whether medical-cost trends remain manageable, Medicare Advantage margins improve and membership declines are contained. UnitedHealth Q3: Two Questions Investors Cannot Ignore
• Negative Sentiment: A bearish analysis argues that much of the recovery in margins, Medicare Advantage and Optum Health is already reflected in the valuation, leaving limited upside and little margin for execution mistakes amid elevated medical-cost inflation. UnitedHealth: The Upside Is Gone
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage disruptions affecting some Medicare members have raised concerns about plan availability and could intensify scrutiny of UnitedHealth’s Medicare business, even though some investors view the disruption as a turnaround opportunity. Medicare Plans Are Shutting Down

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO Patrick Conway sold 1,169 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $390.00, for a total value of $455,910.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 15,328 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,977,920. This represents a 7.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.19% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on UNH. UBS Group increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $460.00 to $490.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $440.00 to $495.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Raymond James Financial boosted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $370.00 to $460.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $337.00 to $430.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Oppenheimer boosted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $420.00 to $500.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Twenty equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $465.75.

UnitedHealth Group Profile

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated NYSE: UNH is a diversified health care and well-being company serving individuals, employers, health care providers and government programs. Its operations are organized primarily through UnitedHealthcare and Optum.

UnitedHealthcare provides health benefit plans and services, including employer-sponsored coverage, individual and family plans, Medicare and Medicaid offerings, and other government-supported programs. Its services include health insurance administration, pharmacy benefits and care management.

Optum provides health care services, technology and data solutions, pharmacy services, and analytics to health plans, employers, government agencies, health care providers and consumers.

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