Conning Inc. Buys 26,266 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Conning Inc. grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 25.2% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 130,449 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 26,266 shares during the period. Conning Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $35,298,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 176.2% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 44,249 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $22,384,000 after acquiring an additional 28,231 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 137.1% during the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 4,019 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $2,033,000 after purchasing an additional 2,324 shares during the period. CMT Capital Markets Trading GmbH bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $340,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter worth $356,000. Finally, Jump Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth $377,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $425.05 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $234.60 and a 12-month high of $434.30. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $399.40 and a 200-day moving average price of $338.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $386.00 billion, a PE ratio of 32.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.76 by $0.47. The company had revenue of $111.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.84 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.68% and a return on equity of 14.65%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $7.20 EPS. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.32 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 15th were paid a $2.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 15th. This is a positive change 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%. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is 70.09%.

UnitedHealth Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada raised its price target on UnitedHealth Group to $463 from $400 and kept an outperform rating, signaling continued upside potential ahead of earnings. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealthcare launched a Lifestyle Spending Account benefit through UHC Store, which could make UNH more attractive to employers by adding flexible wellness benefits and simplifying administration. Article
• Positive Sentiment: Several recent articles highlight bullish setup momentum into the company’s July 16 earnings report, with investors expecting earnings and guidance to remain important catalysts. Article
• Neutral Sentiment: UnitedHealth’s home health program HouseCall was reported to be associated with fewer inpatient stays and ER visits, which is a positive operational sign but not an immediate market-moving event. Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary also noted that UnitedHealth has delivered strong cash returns to shareholders over time, but some analysts are questioning whether the stock is now fully valued after its sharp recovery. Article
• Negative Sentiment: The broader healthcare sector was one of the weakest parts of the market today, and UNH was specifically cited as a drag on the Dow, which can weigh on the stock even if company-specific news is favorable. Article

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have commented on UNH shares. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $450.00 to $475.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $453.00 to $468.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. HSBC lifted their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $300.00 to $380.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $370.00 to $397.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $463.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have assigned a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $417.38.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the company’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 transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 17,805 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,320,775. This represents a 4.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

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.