UnitedHealth Group Incorporated $UNH Shares Sold by West Branch Capital LLC

West Branch Capital LLC reduced its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) by 16.3% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 11,246 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 2,194 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for 1.0% of West Branch Capital LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest position. West Branch Capital LLC’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $3,713,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Sagard Holdings Management Inc. bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 69.4% in the 3rd quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 83 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. 1248 Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Holos Integrated Wealth LLC bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More UnitedHealth Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Raymond James upgraded UNH from Market Perform to Outperform and set a $330 price target, citing upside from expense leverage and margin improvement (notably at Optum Health). The upgrade is the main near-term catalyst lifting the stock. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Trading 1.2% Higher After Analyst Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Recent results show revenue growth and a small EPS beat, and analysts point to continued upside if UnitedHealth sustains margin improvement; investors are watching upcoming quarters for confirmation. Will UnitedHealth (UNH) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?
• Positive Sentiment: Product/tech update: UnitedHealth’s new “Avery Assistant” AI system is being highlighted as a potential efficiency and margin enhancer for care delivery—an operational story that could support earnings if adoption scales. Here’s What United Health’s (UNH) New Avery Assistant System Means For The Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street still shows wide target dispersion but many firms remain constructive (median 6‑month targets north of the current price), keeping upside narratives alive while volatility persists. UnitedHealth Group Stock (UNH) Opinions on Plunge Below Buffett Purchase Price
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory/audit risk remains a key downside: Leerink flagged sizable RADV audit exposure that could create earnings volatility or reserve needs if outcomes are adverse. This is a near-term risk priced in by some investors. Leerink sees UnitedHealth stock facing largest RADV audit exposure
• Negative Sentiment: Sentiment remains mixed because the stock has declined sharply from prior highs; social and institutional debate about valuation, government scrutiny and Medicare rate risk keeps downside scenarios on the table. UnitedHealth Stock Has Lost Nearly Half Its Value in the Last Year. This Analyst Says It’s Time to Buy.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Piper Sandler reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. KeyCorp reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Evercore upgraded UnitedHealth Group to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Leerink Partners dropped their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $410.00 to $345.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Raymond James Financial upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $330.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $363.38.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $277.30 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $284.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $320.40. The firm has a market capitalization of $251.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.02, a PEG ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 0.40. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $234.60 and a 52 week high of $606.36.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.09 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $113.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $113.38 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 14.79% and a net margin of 2.69%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $6.81 EPS. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.750- EPS. Analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Monday, March 9th were paid a dividend of $2.21 per share. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 9th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is currently 67.02%.

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.