Townsquare Capital LLC Sells 3,207 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Key Points

• Townsquare Capital LLC cut its UnitedHealth Group stake by 55.5% in the fourth quarter, selling 3,207 shares and leaving it with 2,570 shares valued at about $848,000.
• Analysts remain upbeat on UNH, with several firms raising price targets; the stock now carries a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average target of $407.17.
• UnitedHealth reported strong quarterly results and lifted its dividend, beating EPS estimates and increasing its quarterly payout to $2.32 from $2.21, for an annualized yield of about 2.3%.

Townsquare Capital LLC decreased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 55.5% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,570 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 3,207 shares during the period. Townsquare Capital LLC's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $848,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Anfield Capital Management LLC raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 220.0% in the 4th quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 80 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC raised its position in UnitedHealth Group by 69.4% in the 3rd quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 83 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $373.00 to $429.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $361.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $340.00 to $373.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Mizuho increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $440.00 to $460.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, Erste Group Bank raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $407.17.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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 sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 17,805 shares in the company, valued at $6,320,775. This trade represents a 4.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

NYSE UNH opened at $407.80 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.80. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $356.88 and its 200-day moving average price is $325.67. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $234.60 and a 52-week high of $415.98. The company has a market cap of $370.34 billion, a PE ratio of 30.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.64.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $6.76 by $0.47. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.68% and a return on equity of 14.65%. The firm had revenue of $111.65 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.84 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $7.20 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast 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 will be paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be paid a $2.32 dividend. This represents a $9.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. This is a positive change from UnitedHealth Group's previous quarterly dividend of $2.21. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. UnitedHealth Group's payout ratio is 66.77%.

More UnitedHealth Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho raised its price target on UnitedHealth Group to $460 from $440 and reiterated an Outperform rating, citing an improving managed care outlook. Mizuho Boosts UnitedHealth (UNH) Target as Managed Care Outlook Improves
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage sentiment remains favorable, with UnitedHealth Group carrying a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated NYSE: UNH Given Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are rotating toward healthcare as a defensive sector while tech stocks weaken, which has lifted interest in UNH and other large-cap health insurers. As Tech Stocks Slide, The Healthcare Sector Shines. Why Some Experts Say They Like This Defensive Play
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks highlighted UNH as a top-ranked momentum stock, reinforcing the bullish technical setup, but this was more of a screening note than a company-specific catalyst. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) is a Top-Ranked Momentum Stock: Should You Buy?
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles pointed to UNH hitting or approaching 52-week highs, indicating strong recent momentum, though that can also lead to short-term pullbacks as traders lock in gains. UnitedHealth, Applied Materials, Citigroup Stocks Surged To 52-Week Highs Today: What Drove The Uptick?
• Negative Sentiment: After the recent rally, UNH has seen some consolidation and a modest pullback as investors digest gains, which is likely contributing to the stock’s softer tone today. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Stock Moves -1.28%: What You Should Know

About UnitedHealth Group

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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