Manning & Napier Advisors LLC Sells 563,282 Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Manning & Napier Advisors LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 65.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 302,684 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 563,282 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group comprises about 1.3% of Manning & Napier Advisors LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 27th largest position. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $100,540,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Anfield Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 220.0% during the 4th quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 80 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 69.4% during the third quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 83 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Finally, 1248 Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth said it will eliminate prior authorization for 30% of healthcare services, a potentially investor-friendly move that may streamline care and reduce complaints about insurer approvals. UnitedHealth to Eliminate Prior Authorization for 30% of Healthcare Services
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank raised its FY2027 earnings estimate for UnitedHealth, signaling confidence in longer-term profitability, and kept a Buy rating on the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: UnitedHealth was highlighted in commentary about value stocks and recovery prospects, which may support investor interest but does not appear to be a direct fundamental catalyst. UnitedHealth: Watch The Recovery In Action
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks Research cut near-term and Q4 2027 earnings estimates, which is a headwind, but the revisions were not as central as the company’s policy change and may reflect more cautious forecasting rather than a major deterioration. Bullish Quarterly Results: 3 Companies Raising Guidance

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the company. Leerink Partners boosted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $345.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $375.00 to $395.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. UBS Group lowered their price target 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. Finally, Raymond James Financial raised UnitedHealth Group from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $330.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $378.88.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 2.6%

NYSE:UNH opened at $379.49 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $344.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.66, a P/E/G ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.64. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $234.60 and a 52 week high of $387.21. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The company has a fifty day moving average of $304.54 and a 200 day moving average of $316.98.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.76 by $0.47. The firm had revenue of $111.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $109.84 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.68% and a return on equity of 14.65%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $7.20 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. On average, research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.29 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 9th were given a $2.21 dividend. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 9th. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 66.77%.

Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group

In related 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 in the company, valued at $6,320,775. This represents a 4.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.