Macquarie Group Ltd. Decreases Stake in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH

Macquarie Group Ltd. lowered its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 78.3% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 155,431 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 562,044 shares during the quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd.’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $51,309,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Public Sector Pension Investment Board increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 43.1% in the third quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 287,132 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $99,147,000 after acquiring an additional 86,432 shares during the period. Oberndorf William E acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter worth $12,276,000. Timber Creek Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at $2,227,000. Griffith & Werner Inc. acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at $3,039,000. Finally, CenterBook Partners LP grew its position in UnitedHealth Group by 164.0% during the third quarter. CenterBook Partners LP now owns 10,781 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $3,723,000 after buying an additional 6,697 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.7%

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $408.34 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $370.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.64. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52-week low of $234.60 and a 52-week high of $415.98. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $362.28 and its 200-day simple moving average is $326.85. 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 posted its quarterly 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. The firm 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%. UnitedHealth Group’s quarterly revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $7.20 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. Equities analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 18.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be given a dividend of $2.32 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. This is a boost from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $2.21. This represents a $9.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 66.77%.

Key Headlines Impacting UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: UNH saw unusual bullish options activity, with investors buying 215,330 call contracts on Friday — about 120% above normal volume — a sign traders are positioning for more upside.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to turn more constructive: Erste Group recently nudged up FY2027 earnings estimates and kept a Buy rating, adding to the recent wave of positive commentary around the shares.
• Positive Sentiment: The company confirmed it will report second-quarter 2026 results on July 16, which keeps a near-term catalyst on the calendar and may be supporting investor interest as expectations build.
• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth also approved its quarterly dividend of $2.32 per share and rejected an independent board chair proposal at its annual meeting, reinforcing its capital-return profile and management control.
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent articles highlight UNH’s rebound toward new highs and its renewed appeal as a defensive healthcare and income stock, but these pieces are largely commentary rather than new company-specific developments.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total transaction 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. The trade was a 4.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNH has been the topic of several analyst reports. Mizuho raised their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $440.00 to $460.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, June 8th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $278.00 to $287.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Erste Group Bank upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $361.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $311.00 to $337.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $407.17.

UnitedHealth Group Company 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.