We recently published a list of Top 8 Stocks To Buy In 8 Different Sectors for the Next 3 Months. In this article, we are going to take a look at where UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) stands against other top stocks to buy in 8 different sectors for the next 3 months.
On November 25, the stock market saw a significant surge, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumping 440 points to a new record close of 44,736.57. The S&P 500 also reached a new high, gaining 0.3% to 5,987.37, while the Russell 2000 index, which focuses on small-cap stocks, hit an all-time high, increasing 1.47% to 2,442.03. The Nasdaq also rose, closing 0.27% higher at 19,054.84. CNBC reported that the market’s strong performance was attributed to President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Scott Bessent, the founder of Key Square Group, as Treasury secretary. Investors are optimistic that Bessent, a hedge fund manager, will be supportive of the equity market and help mitigate some of Trump’s protectionist policies, such as his stance on tariffs.
US Stocks Poised for Continued Growth
In an interview with CNBC on November 25, Brian Belski, Chief Investment Officer at BMO Capital Markets, expressed his bullish stance on the US stock market, stating that it remains the best asset in the world. He emphasized that despite the negativity and doubts surrounding the market, his team has consistently maintained a bullish stance since 2009.
Belski pointed out that many investors are too focused on valuation, which he believes is the world’s worst metric for predicting forward performance. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of earnings growth consistency, where the US is expected to outperform other regions.
He also highlighted the potential for catch-up growth in the financial sector, particularly in the areas of scale, asset managers, and discretionary spending. His team’s research suggests that earnings in the US financial sector are massively understated, and he expects a big catch-up trade on the earnings front.
Regarding valuation, Belski dismissed the idea of assigning a specific valuation metric, such as a P/E ratio, as simplistic. Instead, his team uses a macro P/E longer-term trend and a dividend discount model to evaluate the market. He believes the S&P 500 can reach 6,700, driven by US growth and earnings consistency.
Brian Belski has been bullish on small-cap stocks for well over a year and believes small-cap stocks are a good value play. He also implies that small-cap stocks are undervalued, citing various valuation metrics such as price-to-sales, and price-to-book, as well as operating metrics such as return on assets and return on equity. He suggests that these metrics indicate that small-cap stocks are a good value investment opportunity.
The US stock market continues to show resilience and strength, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 reaching new highs. The nomination of Scott Bessent as Treasury secretary has injected a sense of optimism into the market. With the market’s strong performance and positive outlook, investors are well-positioned to take advantage of the current trend. With that in context, let’s take a look at the top 8 stocks to buy in 8 different sectors for the next 3 months.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the top 8 stocks to buy in 8 different sectors for the next 3 months, we used Insider Monkey’s database to research stocks in 8 different sectors. We picked stocks from different sectors that were the most popular among elite money managers. The final list is ranked in ascending order of the number of hedge fund holders, as of Q3 2024.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A senior healthcare professional giving advice to a patient in a clinic.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 112
Sector: Healthcare
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is the largest health insurer in the U.S., providing health benefits and services through its UnitedHealthcare and Optum segments. The company’s diverse business model spans insurance, healthcare delivery, and data analytics, making it a dominant player in the industry. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) generates revenue from premiums on risk-based products, fees from various services, sales of healthcare products, and services & investments.
On November 22, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) received a favorable ruling in a lawsuit it filed against the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the company’s Medicare Star Ratings for the 2025 plan year. A federal judge in Texas ordered CMS to recalculate UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s (NYSE:UNH) ratings, which were allegedly downgraded due to a single phone call handled by its call center.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive efficiency and cost savings. One of the ways the company is utilizing AI is by automating its call centers, which receive over a million calls per day. By implementing AI-powered solutions, the company aims to divert or resolve customer concerns without the need for human interaction, potentially saving the company billions of dollars over the next several years.
The company is also exploring various AI use cases to streamline its operations and improve customer experience. By adopting AI technology, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is positioning itself for long-term growth and success. In their Q3 investor letter, Mairs & Power Growth Fund stated the following regarding UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH):
“One great example of this is UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), a long-term holding of the Fund. Founded in 1974 in Minnetonka, Minnesota, UnitedHealth Group has grown to become the largest managed care organization in the United States. UnitedHealth Group is already working on multiple AI use cases that could potentially save the company billions of dollars in efficiencies over the next several years. For instance, the company’s call centers receive more than a million calls per day. AI could potentially divert or resolve customer concerns without human interaction. We fully admit the company is not perfect and has its ups and downs. Earlier this year, the company was caught up in a large data breach from a company it acquired in 2022. Healthcare is also deeply political, and UnitedHealth Group can often find itself in the political crosshairs during an election year. We’ve seen these political risks play out before and believe UnitedHealth Group will again emerge unscathed.”
Overall, UNH ranks 5th on our list of top stocks to buy in 8 different sectors for the next 3 months. While we acknowledge the potential of UNH to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than UNH but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.