Banco Santander S.A. Reduces Holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Banco Santander S.A. reduced its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 24.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 64,146 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 20,791 shares during the period. Banco Santander S.A.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $22,150,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Sagard Holdings Management Inc. purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Islay Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Hurley Capital LLC increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 81.6% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 89 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cloud Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter valued at $32,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on UNH shares. KeyCorp restated an “overweight” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $425.00 to $389.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Mizuho lowered their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $430.00 to $350.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $391.00 to $327.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $372.13.

Trending Headlines about UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board-approved quarterly dividend of $2.21 per share (3.1% yield), ex-dividend March 9 — supports income investors and can stabilize the share base. UnitedHealth Group Board Authorizes Payment of Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Sector rotation into defensive healthcare is benefiting names like UNH as investors trim cyclical tech and staples exposure — a tailwind for shares. Time for Investors to Get Defensive. Sell Staples and Buy Healthcare.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts argue UNH’s scale and diversified model give it more upside vs. peers (e.g., Humana) as managed-care margins are tested — a relative-strength story that can attract money into UNH. UnitedHealth vs. Humana: Which Healthcare Stock Has More Upside Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces note UNH is slightly lower since the last earnings report and are parsing forward EPS/assumptions — watch revisions rather than headlines for near-term impact. UnitedHealth (UNH) Down 3.3% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Rebound?
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary that UNH has underperformed the Dow over the past year is drawing cautious analyst views — signals attention but no immediate directional catalyst. Is UnitedHealth Stock Underperforming the Dow?
• Negative Sentiment: Aristotle Growth Equity Fund disclosed it exited UNH citing lowered guidance — a vote of concern from an institutional holder and potential selling pressure. Aristotle Growth Equity Fund Exited UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Due to Lowered Guidance
• Negative Sentiment: Major selloff context: UNH plunged ~23% in under a month after weak FY guidance plus a proposed near-flat 2027 reimbursement update — a regulatory shock that materially increases earnings uncertainty. Is The Bottom In For UNH Stock After Its Dramatic 23% Slide?
• Negative Sentiment: UnitedHealthcare’s core margins have been squeezed by surging medical costs; management is flagging repricing and utilization levers for 2026 but execution risk remains. UnitedHealthcare Under Pressure: Can UNH’s Core Business Rebound?

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $286.63 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a twelve month low of $234.60 and a twelve month high of $606.36. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $312.67 and its 200-day moving average price is $325.17. The company has a market cap of $259.64 billion, a PE ratio of 21.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 0.41.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.09 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $113.73 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $113.38 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 14.79% and a net margin of 2.69%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 12.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $6.81 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.750- EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 9th will be paid a $2.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 9th. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 67.02%.

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.