Rakuten Securities Inc. Sells 6,596 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Rakuten Securities Inc. reduced its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 40.7% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 9,598 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 6,596 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for approximately 1.0% of Rakuten Securities Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 22nd largest position. Rakuten Securities Inc.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,168,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Guerra Advisors Inc purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter worth $1,059,000. Carnegie Investment Counsel raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.2% in the third quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel now owns 105,621 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $36,471,000 after acquiring an additional 2,316 shares in the last quarter. Phoenix Financial Ltd. grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 111.5% during the 3rd quarter. Phoenix Financial Ltd. now owns 41,986 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $14,282,000 after acquiring an additional 22,137 shares in the last quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 59.1% in the 3rd quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 12,380 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $4,275,000 after purchasing an additional 4,600 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $13,691,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $354.66 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $234.60 and a fifty-two week high of $429.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.80. The company has a market cap of $322.10 billion, a PE ratio of 26.79, a P/E/G ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.40. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $292.17 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $317.36.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $109.84 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $7.20 EPS. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company 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 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 9th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 67.02%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have weighed in on UNH shares. Weiss Ratings lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Argus upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $400.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Mizuho decreased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $430.00 to $350.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $430.00 to $410.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $377.64.

Key Stories Impacting UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Better‑than‑expected Q1 results and raised FY guidance — UNH topped EPS and revenue estimates, cited easing medical costs and raised its 2026 EPS outlook, which drove the initial rally. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Trading 2.2% Higher on Better-Than-Expected Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street upgrades and price‑target increases — Multiple firms (Morgan Stanley, RBC, Oppenheimer, Wells Fargo, Argus, Truist) raised ratings or targets after the quarter, signaling renewed analyst confidence. These Analysts Increase Their Forecasts On UnitedHealth After Upbeat Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual options activity — Large call‑option purchases (hundreds of thousands of contracts reported) point to speculative bullish bets that could amplify upside short‑term momentum. Investors Purchase Large Volume of UnitedHealth Group Call Options (NYSE:UNH)
• Neutral Sentiment: Q1 thematic detail — Coverage highlights UNH’s AI investments, value‑based care progress and margin expansion drivers; these are strategic positives but represent medium‑term rather than immediate catalysts. UNH Q1 Deep Dive: AI Investment and Value-Based Care Drive UnitedHealth’s Strong Start
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate initiatives & ESG/PR — UNH launched a broad rural‑health initiative (positive for long‑term positioning but limited near‑term stock impact). UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) Launches Broad Rural Health Initiative to Strengthen Underserved Communities
• Neutral Sentiment: Governance proposal — A shareholder proposal to require future board chairs to be independent is on the ballot; the board opposes it. Governance votes can influence sentiment but are unlikely to change fundamentals immediately. Independent Chair Proposal Tests Governance And Valuation Views At UnitedHealth Group
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed analyst views remain — a few firms (e.g., Robert W. Baird) retain underperform/low targets, illustrating some disagreement on valuation and risk; these dissenting views can cap upside if they gain traction. Price Target Change / Analyst Note (Robert W. Baird)

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.