5 Best Healthcare Stocks To Buy In 2022

1. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 95

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is a Minnesota-based multinational insurance and managed healthcare company. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is one of the most popular healthcare stocks among smart investors, with 95 funds holding stakes in the company as of Q3 2021, worth $11.70 billion. 

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) posted Q4 results on January 19, announcing earnings per share of $4.48, beating estimates by $0.17. The $73.74 billion revenue outperformed estimates by $774.36 million.

On December 2, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) declared a quarterly dividend of $1.45 per share, in line with previous. The dividend was paid on December 14, to shareholders of record on December 6. 

SVB Leerink analyst Whit Mayo raised the price target on UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) to $550 from $480 and kept an Outperform rating on the shares on January 26. The analyst noted that results from Q4 were largely as expected. Against potential fading COVID-19 and political risks, Mayo can see the stock pushing a premium against the S&P 500.

Rajiv Jain’s GQG Partners, the biggest stakeholder of the company, held 3.6 million UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) shares in Q3 2021, worth $1.4 billion. 

Here is what Third Point Management has to say about UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) in its Q3 2021 investor letter:

“UnitedHealth is one of the largest healthcare companies in the world and a market leader in both its insurance and healthcare services (Optum) businesses. We initiated our position during the 2020 Presidential election at a time of heightened political and regulatory uncertainty.

We believe under its new CEO, Andrew Witty, UnitedHealth can not only preserve its market dominance and sustain industry-leading growth rates across most of its key segments but also enter new healthcare services markets. Witty is known as a mission-driven CEO who clearly articulates his view that providing high-quality, affordable health care services is a social good. He receives consistently high marks from former colleagues, and we believe that his leadership approach will ballast and even strengthen UNH’s already impressive management and employee ranks. The insurance and services businesses are synergistic and complementary, which entrenches United’s critical role in care financing, access, and management. This dynamic gives us confidence in the durability of United’s market leadership…” (Click here to see the full text)

You can also take a look at Analysts are Recommending These 10 Stocks for 2022 and 10 Best High Dividend Stocks in Canada for 2022. 

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