GFS Advisors LLC Buys 9,984 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

GFS Advisors LLC raised its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 24.1% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 51,416 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after buying an additional 9,984 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up about 2.0% of GFS Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest holding. GFS Advisors LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $16,973,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Paragon Private Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 19.5% in the fourth quarter. Paragon Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,299 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $429,000 after buying an additional 212 shares during the period. First Dallas Securities Inc. raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. First Dallas Securities Inc. now owns 7,687 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $2,538,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 7.2% in the 4th quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 400,063 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $132,069,000 after purchasing an additional 26,951 shares during the last quarter. Pettyjohn Wood & White Inc. bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $263,000. Finally, Westerkirk Capital Inc. boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 9.4% during the fourth quarter. Westerkirk Capital Inc. now owns 24,834 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $8,198,000 after buying an additional 2,140 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Healthcare is benefiting from a broader shift away from tech, with UNH cited as part of the sector’s defensive appeal as investors look for steadier names during market volatility. As Tech Stocks Slide, The Healthcare Sector Shines. Why Some Experts Say They Like This Defensive Play
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho raised its price target on UNH to $460 from $440 and kept an outperform rating, signaling confidence in further upside. UnitedHealth Group had its price target raised by Mizuho
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan also lifted its target on UNH to $466 from $420 and reiterated an overweight rating, reinforcing bullish analyst sentiment. UnitedHealth Group had its price target raised by JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Positive Sentiment: UNH continues to appear on “top value stock” and dividend stock lists, which may be drawing investor attention to the name as a large-cap, income-oriented healthcare holding. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) is a Top-Ranked Value Stock: Should You Buy?
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recent articles highlighted UNH in broader thematic pieces about healthcare rotation and the “Bank of Mom and Dad,” but these are more commentary-driven than direct company-specific catalysts. The Bank of Mom and Dad Is Booming—3 Stocks to Watch (UNH)

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 1.5%

Shares of UNH stock opened at $412.57 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $374.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.16, a P/E/G ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.64. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $234.60 and a 12-month high of $413.00. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $353.96 and a 200-day moving average of $324.99. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its earnings results 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. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.68% and a return on equity of 14.65%. The firm had revenue of $111.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.84 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $7.20 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be paid a $2.32 dividend. This represents a $9.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. This is a positive change from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $2.21. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 66.77%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total transaction of $284,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 17,805 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,320,775. This represents a 4.30% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently weighed in on UNH shares. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $444.00 to $492.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Mizuho upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $440.00 to $460.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $373.00 to $429.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 26th. TD Cowen raised their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $311.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised UnitedHealth Group from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $407.17.

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.