Saranac Partners Ltd Acquires 3,347 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Saranac Partners Ltd increased its UnitedHealth stake by 23.1% in the fourth quarter, buying 3,347 additional shares and bringing its total holdings to 17,821 shares valued at about $5.88 million.
• Several other institutional investors also boosted positions in UNH, and institutional ownership remains high at 87.86% of the company’s stock.
• UnitedHealth is drawing mixed sentiment: analysts have recently raised price targets and earnings estimates, but the stock has also faced pressure from concerns about rising medical costs and weaker margins.

Saranac Partners Ltd grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 23.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 17,821 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after buying an additional 3,347 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for 2.3% of Saranac Partners Ltd's portfolio, making the stock its 23rd biggest position. Saranac Partners Ltd's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $5,880,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. GSA Capital Partners LLP increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 203.2% during the 4th quarter. GSA Capital Partners LLP now owns 6,673 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $2,203,000 after purchasing an additional 4,472 shares during the period. Handelsbanken Fonder AB boosted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 10.2% during the 4th quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 388,143 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $128,130,000 after purchasing an additional 35,832 shares in the last quarter. Csenge Advisory Group raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 3.6% in the fourth quarter. Csenge Advisory Group now owns 7,037 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $2,323,000 after buying an additional 244 shares in the last quarter. Integral Investment Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 14.6% during the 4th quarter. Integral Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 1,135 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $375,000 after acquiring an additional 145 shares during the period. Finally, Aviance Capital Partners LLC raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 11.7% in the 4th quarter. Aviance Capital Partners LLC now owns 16,274 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $5,372,000 after acquiring an additional 1,707 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

Key UnitedHealth Group News

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

• Neutral Sentiment: Berkshire’s exit may be more about portfolio reshuffling under Greg Abel than a clear change in UnitedHealth’s fundamentals, so the selloff could be sentiment-driven rather than purely operational. Reuters: UnitedHealth falls after Berkshire sells stake in health insurer
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its Q1 2027 earnings estimate for UNH to $6.87 per share from $6.77, signaling some analyst confidence ahead of future results. Zacks: UnitedHealth Under the Microscope After Berkshire Pulls the Plug
• Neutral Sentiment: A proposed bill focused on HSA expansion, price transparency, and prescription-drug access could affect managed-care economics over time, but it is still early-stage and not an immediate catalyst. Quiver Quantitative: New Bill H.R. 8324
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple reports also highlight UNH’s recent weakness tied to rising medical costs and unfavorable member mix, reinforcing investor concerns that margins may remain pressured. Yahoo Finance: UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Fell 33% as Rising Medical Costs and Member Mix Pressured Earnings

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNH has been the topic of several recent research reports. Argus raised UnitedHealth Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $400.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $405.00 to $411.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $375.00 to $395.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Barclays raised their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $327.00 to $373.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, Truist Financial restated a "buy" rating and issued a $395.00 price target (up from $370.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have given a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $381.48.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total transaction of $284,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 17,805 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,320,775. The trade was a 4.30% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH opened at $389.19 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $353.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.39, a P/E/G ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $234.60 and a 12 month high of $404.15. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $320.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $318.59.

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

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Monday, March 9th were issued a $2.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 9th. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 66.77%.

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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