UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH Shares Sold by Alta Capital Management LLC

Key Points

• Alta Capital Management cut its UnitedHealth Group stake by 23.4% in the fourth quarter, selling 5,638 shares and leaving it with 18,495 shares valued at about $6.1 million.
• Despite some recent selling by institutions, hedge funds still own 87.86% of UNH, and several analysts remain constructive on the stock. Barclays and Jefferies raised price targets, while the consensus rating is now Moderate Buy with an average target of $381.83.
• UnitedHealth posted a strong quarterly update, beating earnings and revenue estimates with $7.23 EPS on $111.65 billion in revenue. The company also pays a quarterly dividend of $2.21 per share, or $8.84 annually, for a 2.3% yield.

Alta Capital Management LLC decreased its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 23.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 18,495 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after selling 5,638 shares during the period. Alta Capital Management LLC's holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $6,106,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of UNH. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Anfield Capital Management LLC grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 220.0% during the 4th quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 80 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 69.4% during the 3rd quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 83 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Finally, 1248 Management LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $327.00 to $373.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Raymond James Financial upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $330.00 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $278.00 to $287.00 and gave the stock an "underperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $340.00 to $373.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Truist Financial restated 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $381.83.

UnitedHealth Group News Roundup

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

• Negative Sentiment: Berkshire Hathaway’s full exit from UnitedHealth Group has weighed on sentiment, as the loss of a respected long-term investor may prompt other holders to reassess their positions. Reuters: UnitedHealth falls after Berkshire sells stake in health insurer
• Neutral Sentiment: UNH had been on a strong rebound before the Berkshire news, and recent earnings showed a profit beat and a guidance increase, suggesting the business recovery narrative is still intact. Yahoo Finance: UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Fell 33% as Rising Medical Costs and Member Mix Pressured Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: A proposed healthcare bill focused on HSAs, price transparency, and expanded access to coverage could affect insurers over time, but it is still early and its stock impact is uncertain. Quiver Quantitative: New Bill H.R. 8324

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of UNH opened at $390.44 on Tuesday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $234.60 and a fifty-two week high of $404.15. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $318.85 and its 200 day moving average price is $318.35. 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 has a market cap of $354.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.49, a PEG ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.64.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 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 company had revenue of $111.65 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.84 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $7.20 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the chief executive officer directly 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 transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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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