Major Institutions Scoop Up $5.4B in UnitedHealth While Beacon Trims 90% Stake
In Q3, Carnegie Investment Counsel upped its UNH stake 2.2% to 105,621 shares ($36.5M), while Beacon Investment Advisory cut its position by 90.4%, selling 18,239 shares to hold 1,938 shares valued at $669,000. Q2 filings show Norges Bank and Berkshire Hathaway initiated UNH stakes of $3.84B and $1.57B.
1. Beacon Investment Advisory Services Dramatically Reduces UNH Position
In the third quarter, Beacon Investment Advisory Services Inc. slashed its UnitedHealth Group stake by 90.4%, disposing of 18,239 shares and retaining just 1,938 shares at period end. The remaining position was valued at approximately $669,000, marking a significant strategic withdrawal from the healthcare conglomerate after previously holding 20,177 shares.
2. Other Institutional Adjustments Highlight Mixed Sentiment
Several fellow institutional investors made modest shifts in their UnitedHealth Group holdings in Q3. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC increased its stake by 4.8% to 1,550 shares, now worth $535,000, while HBW Advisory Services LLC expanded by 7.7% to 13,049 shares valued at $4.506 million. Cohen Klingenstein LLC added 50 shares (up 0.3%) to reach 17,250 shares ($5.956 million), SWS Partners acquired 290 shares (up 7.2%) to hold 4,325 shares ($1.493 million), and Burns Matteson Capital Management initiated a new $2.768 million position. Collectively, hedge funds and other institutions maintain 87.86% ownership in UnitedHealth Group.
3. Recent Operational Metrics and Shareholder Returns Underscore Stability
UnitedHealth Group reported third-quarter earnings per share of $2.92, surpassing consensus by $0.05, on revenue of $113.16 billion, up 12.2% year-over-year. The company delivered a net margin of 4.04% and a return on equity of 19.23%. In December, it paid a quarterly dividend of $2.21 per share (annualized $8.84), yielding 2.7% with a payout ratio of 46.14%.