Smithbridge Asset Management Inc. DE Sells 9,173 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Smithbridge Asset Management cut its UnitedHealth Group stake by 51.3% in the first quarter, selling 9,173 shares and leaving it with 8,699 shares worth about $2.35 million.
• Analysts remain broadly bullish on UNH, with several firms raising price targets and the stock carrying an average “Moderate Buy” rating and a $411.42 target price.
• UnitedHealth reported solid quarterly results, beating EPS and revenue estimates, while also raising its quarterly dividend to $2.32 per share, boosting the annualized yield to about 2.2%.

Smithbridge Asset Management Inc. DE cut its stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 51.3% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,699 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 9,173 shares during the quarter. Smithbridge Asset Management Inc. DE's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $2,354,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Founders Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Founders Capital Management LLC now owns 982 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $324,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the last quarter. Kellett Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1.7% during the fourth quarter. Kellett Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,746 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $576,000 after buying an additional 29 shares during the period. Cooper Financial Group raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.7% in the fourth quarter. Cooper Financial Group now owns 4,338 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,432,000 after buying an additional 30 shares during the period. Successful Portfolios LLC boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 2.6% during the 4th quarter. Successful Portfolios LLC now owns 1,194 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $411,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the period. Finally, Bell Investment Advisors Inc increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 14.4% in the first quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 246 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 31 shares during the period. 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: UnitedHealth’s coverage of Guardant Health’s Shield blood test for colorectal cancer screening could support member growth and reinforce UNH’s position in preventive care, while also signaling adoption of a new, high-profile screening product. UnitedHealth Group Now Covers Guardant Health’s Shield Blood Test for Colorectal Cancer Screening
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley said UnitedHealth is likely to beat second-quarter earnings expectations, citing favorable utilization trends, which suggests better-than-expected near-term profitability. UnitedHealth to Top Second-Quarter Earnings Views on Favorable Utilization Trends, Morgan Stanley Says
• Positive Sentiment: Technical momentum remains strong, with reports noting UNH has rallied sharply, formed a golden cross, and recently traded near its highs for the year, which can attract additional trend-following buyers. Up by 80%, does the UnitedHealth Group have more upside?
• Neutral Sentiment: UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Nebraska announced a $385,000 investment in local support programs for older adults, caregivers, and people with disabilities. The move is positive reputationally, but it is unlikely to materially affect earnings. UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Nebraska Invests $385,000 to Expand Programs to Support Older Adults, Caregivers and People with Disabilities
• Negative Sentiment: A court dismissal of the PBMs’ lawsuit against the FTC keeps regulatory pressure in focus for Optum Rx and the broader pharmacy-benefit manager industry, which could be a headwind for sentiment around UNH’s services segment. Court dismisses PBMs’ lawsuit against FTC following insulin settlements
• Negative Sentiment: One article frames UNH as facing a “Medicare reset,” pointing to potential changes or pressure in Medicare-related dynamics that could weigh on valuation if margins or growth expectations soften. UnitedHealth Group NYSE: UNH Faces Medicare Reset

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently commented on UNH. Weiss Ratings raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Bank of America raised their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $450.00 to $475.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $370.00 to $397.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $385.00 to $405.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $420.00 to $466.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, June 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have issued a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $411.42.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of UNH stock opened at $426.67 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $387.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.23, a PEG ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.62. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $234.60 and a 52-week high of $428.02. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The company's 50 day moving average is $389.88 and its 200 day moving average is $334.43.

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. The business 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%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $7.20 EPS. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 15th were issued a $2.32 dividend. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.21. This represents a $9.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 15th. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 70.09%.

Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group

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

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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