UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH Stock Purchased by Russell Investments Group Ltd.

Key Points

• Russell Investments increased its UnitedHealth stake by 8.9% in the third quarter, adding 124,296 shares. It ended the period with 1.52 million shares valued at about $560 million.
• UnitedHealth reported quarterly earnings of $4.69 per share, beating the $4.14 consensus estimate, and revenue of $112.72 billion, above expectations. Revenue was down 0.4% year over year.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus, with a consensus price target of $463.93. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $2.32 per share, equivalent to a 2.3% yield at the article’s cited share price.

Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) by 8.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 1,521,772 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock after purchasing an additional 124,296 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up about 0.5% of Russell Investments Group Ltd.'s holdings, making the stock its 23rd largest position. Russell Investments Group Ltd. owned 0.17% of UnitedHealth Group worth $560,182,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.6% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 76,863,061 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $31,946,594,000 after purchasing an additional 3,395,530 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its position in UnitedHealth Group by 0.7% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 45,633,267 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $18,966,555,000 after buying an additional 301,081 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 6.1% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 10,704,994 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $4,449,317,000 after buying an additional 616,723 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 5.8% in the second quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 10,675,175 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $4,436,923,000 after acquiring an additional 583,536 shares during the period. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LP boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 1,443.7% in the second quarter. Corient Private Wealth LP now owns 8,447,224 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $3,510,920,000 after acquiring an additional 7,900,011 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company's stock.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 0.6%

NYSE:UNH opened at $405.45 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $363.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.16, a PEG ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.51. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $391.23 and its 200-day simple moving average is $365.03. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $255.96 and a 12-month high of $461.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $4.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.14 by $0.55. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 17.95% and a net margin of 3.53%. The firm had revenue of $112.72 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $111.31 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.59 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 20.500- EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 20.61 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 7th will be given a dividend of $2.32 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 7th. This represents a $9.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is presently 53.00%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on UNH shares. UBS Group reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, October 13th. TD Cowen reiterated a "hold" rating and set a $402.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. KeyCorp reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, October 14th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $401.00 to $490.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $529.00 to $531.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, October 27th. Twenty analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $463.93.

Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group

In other news, CEO Patrick Conway sold 1,169 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $390.00, for a total value of $455,910.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 15,328 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,977,920. The trade was a 7.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.19% of the company's stock.

Latest UnitedHealth Group News

These are some of the UNH news items that stood out recently:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly optimistic, and one valuation assessment says UNH may still be below fair value after its past-year gains. The company’s focus on medical-cost management and pricing is central to whether it can sustain profit growth. Do Wall Street Analysts Like UnitedHealth Group Stock? UnitedHealth Group Stock Still Looks Below Fair Value
• Neutral Sentiment: A law firm invited shareholders to discuss potential claims involving company insiders. The release provides no substantiation or finding of wrongdoing, so it is not evidence of liability, though it may draw attention to legal and governance risks. Shareholder Rights Notice
• Negative Sentiment: UnitedHealth plans to drop Medicare plans in 140 counties and leave Wyoming. The exits could reduce coverage and membership in affected areas; the longer-term impact will depend on whether the move helps control costs and improve plan economics. UnitedHealth to Drop Medicare Plans in 140 Counties and Leave Wyoming

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group is a diversified health care company that provides health benefits and health services through two main businesses: UnitedHealthcare and Optum. UnitedHealthcare offers health insurance and related benefit plans to individuals, employers and government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Optum provides services across the health care system, including care delivery, pharmacy services, pharmacy benefit management, health technology and data analytics. Its businesses serve consumers, health care providers, employers, health plans and government organizations.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UNH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.