Pekin Hardy Strauss Inc. Decreases Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Pekin Hardy Strauss trimmed its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 73.3% in the fourth quarter, selling 3,986 shares and leaving 1,449 shares valued at about $478,000.
• UnitedHealth beat Q1 estimates with $7.23 EPS (vs. $6.76 expected) and $111.65B revenue, set FY2026 guidance at 18.25 EPS, and has seen multiple analyst price‑target upgrades with a consensus "Moderate Buy" and average target around $378.88.
• Insider activity: Optum CEO Patrick Conway sold 800 shares (~$284,000) after earnings, while institutional investors own roughly 87.86% of UNH stock.

Pekin Hardy Strauss Inc. trimmed its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 73.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,449 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 3,986 shares during the period. Pekin Hardy Strauss Inc.'s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $478,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of UNH. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 126.9% during the 3rd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 13,042,049 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $4,503,419,000 after purchasing an additional 7,293,009 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 18.8% during the 3rd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 21,766,922 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $7,516,107,000 after purchasing an additional 3,439,182 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 11.1% during the 3rd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 17,499,949 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $6,042,710,000 after purchasing an additional 1,747,337 shares during the last quarter. Lone Pine Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $528,273,000. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 152.3% in the 3rd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,823,871 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $629,783,000 after acquiring an additional 1,100,850 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

NYSE:UNH opened at $371.07 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $337.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.03, a PEG ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.40. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $299.45 and a 200 day moving average price of $317.38. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $234.60 and a fifty-two week high of $411.99.

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

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Monday, March 9th were given a dividend of $2.21 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 9th. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 66.77%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total value of $284,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, 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 sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.28% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $375.00 to $395.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Truist Financial reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $395.00 price objective (up from $370.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $370.00 to $397.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Leerink Partners increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $345.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $385.00 to $405.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $378.88.

Key UnitedHealth Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: UNH reported a strong Q1 print and raised near‑term outlook — results and management commentary signal a rebound in operating performance and drove recent upside in the shares. UnitedHealth (UNH) Stock Surges Over 3.5% on Strong Q1 Results and Optimistic Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades: Erste Group raised FY2026 and FY2027 EPS estimates and kept a Buy stance, providing independent confirmation that street expectations are moving higher and supporting valuation momentum.
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish commentary from retail outlets argues the company is turning a corner after regulatory/operational headwinds — such narratives can attract buyers and support multiple expansion. It's Time to Load Up on UnitedHealth Group Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks and other screens show UNH as a trending name — heightened attention can increase liquidity and volatility but is not directional by itself. Here is What to Know Beyond Why UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Peer results: Humana and Cigna posted solid Q1s (Humana benefited from higher premiums; Cigna’s Evernorth saw revenue growth). Strong peer earnings suggest sector health but also heighten competitive dynamics for pricing and margins. Cigna Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates on Strong Evernorth Unit
• Neutral Sentiment: CVS is trading at a much lower forward multiple versus UNH; that valuation gap can influence sector rotation decisions (value buyers may prefer CVS), but it doesn’t change UNH’s operational trajectory. CVS Earnings Are Coming. Why the Stock Is No Longer a Value Trap.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Optum CEO Patrick Conway sold roughly $284k in UNH stock shortly after earnings — while small relative to total holdings, insider sales can raise short-term concern among some investors. UnitedHealth Stock Has Rallied Since Earnings. One Top Insider Is Trimming His Stake.

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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