Quent Long Short Global Small Cap Fund LP acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 3,232 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock, valued at approximately $1,067,000.
A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of UNH. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 69.4% during the third quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 83 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. 1248 Management LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Hurley Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 81.6% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 89 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.
Key Stories Impacting UnitedHealth Group
Here are the key news stories impacting UnitedHealth Group this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and raised full‑year outlook — UNH reported Q1 adjusted EPS of $7.23 (vs. street ~$6.76) and revenue ~ $111.7B, and raised FY‑2026 guidance (management set ~18.25 EPS range), which drove the initial rally. UnitedHealth just raised its full-year guidance
- Positive Sentiment: Broad analyst support — Several firms (Morgan Stanley, RBC, Oppenheimer, Wells Fargo, Leerink and Argus) raised price targets and upgraded ratings after the quarter, signaling renewed conviction from Wall Street. This buying from analysts is reinforcing the move higher. These Analysts Increase Their Forecasts On UnitedHealth After Upbeat Earnings
- Positive Sentiment: Options flow & investor positioning — Unusual call buying (roughly 164k calls, ~30% above average) shows short‑term bullish speculative interest that can amplify upward momentum. (No link available)
- Positive Sentiment: Strategic investments highlighted — Management emphasized AI initiatives and value‑based care expansion (plus a new rural health initiative), which investors see as catalysts for margin expansion and long‑term growth. UNH Q1 Deep Dive: AI Investment and Value-Based Care Drive UnitedHealth’s Strong Start
- Neutral Sentiment: Long‑term value narrative — Several commentary pieces (Zacks, MSN features) argue UNH is a value/quality pick for long‑term investors given earnings power and discounted valuation vs. history; this is more strategic than an immediate price driver. Why UnitedHealth Group (UNH) is a Top Value Stock for the Long-Term
- Neutral Sentiment: Governance spotlight — A shareholder proposal to require a future Board chair be independent has attracted attention; the board opposes it. Governance votes can influence sentiment but are uncertain near‑term. Independent Chair Proposal Tests Governance And Valuation Views At UnitedHealth Group
- Negative Sentiment: Mixed analyst signals remain — Some firms maintain cautious ratings (TD Cowen raised target but kept a "hold" implying slight downside; Robert W. Baird recently flagged an underperform view), so not all analysts are convinced the turnaround is durable. Benzinga coverage of analyst actions
UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.3%
Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $354.66 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The stock has a market capitalization of $322.10 billion, a PE ratio of 26.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.40. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $292.17 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $317.36. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $234.60 and a 12-month high of $429.90.
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 earnings per share (EPS) 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 business 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 earned $7.20 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. As a group, analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.
UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 9th were given a $2.21 dividend. 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 2.5%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 67.02%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of research analysts have recently commented on UNH shares. HSBC upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "reduce" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $300.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Piper Sandler reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $375.00 to $395.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $340.00 to $373.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday. Finally, KeyCorp reiterated an "overweight" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have assigned a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $377.64.
Read Our Latest Research Report on UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group Profile
(
Free Report)
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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