NEW YORK, May 15, 2026, 18:04 EDT
- Berkshire Hathaway dumped its UnitedHealth stake in the first quarter, reversing out of a position that had propped up sentiment last year.
- UnitedHealth is monitoring some Optum employees’ AI tool activity as it moves to put more technology into day-to-day work, Bloomberg reported.
- Next up is medical-cost data. Analysts say insurers will need to show another quarter of steady claims before the recovery call is clear.
Berkshire Hathaway dropped its UnitedHealth Group stake last quarter, pulling out after less than a year with the health insurer. Berkshire had bought 5.04 million UnitedHealth shares, boosting the stock after a rough stretch. The move was part of a broader shake-up at Berkshire, which also trimmed its holdings in Amazon, Visa and Mastercard. The sales were disclosed Friday.
UnitedHealth’s 2026 rebound is on shaky ground now, with recent gains built on hopes that the medical-cost jump last year, regulatory jitters and shaky investor confidence were getting fixed. Kevin Gade, chief operating officer at UnitedHealth investor Bahl & Gaynor, told Reuters in August that Berkshire’s previous stake offered “psychological reassurance” to the market. Reuters
UnitedHealth closed at $393.85, off 1.3% late Friday after slipping to an intraday low of $379. CVS Health ended down 1.3%. Humana gained 1.4%. Moves were mixed across managed care.
Berkshire didn’t say why it sold UnitedHealth. Its latest 13F showed a new $2.65 billion Delta Air Lines buy, a small holding in Macy’s, and a bigger Alphabet position. Overall, Berkshire bought $15.94 billion in stocks and sold $24.09 billion in the first quarter, according to Reuters.
Form 13F gives a quarterly look at some U.S.-listed holdings reported by big institutional managers, filed up to 45 days after the quarter. The data is backward-looking and doesn’t show the reasons behind trades. It also might not reflect Berkshire’s current positions.
UnitedHealth had another tech story Friday. Bloomberg reported that the company is checking if some Optum staff make at least one daily search using AI products like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, according to people familiar with the matter.
UnitedHealth’s cost and productivity drive is in line with its plans. Back in April, the company said it would spend $1.5 billion on artificial intelligence this year. CEO Stephen Hemsley described the first quarter as “solid” in all segments after UnitedHealth lifted its 2026 adjusted profit target above $18.25 a share. Reuters
Health insurers in the U.S. beat expectations with their first-quarter numbers, but claims are still a focus. Analysts are holding off before saying the cost trend is under control. “It is probably a little early to call a victory,” said Morningstar’s Julie Utterback. Leerink Partners analyst Whit Mayo told Reuters the second quarter is “the test.” Reuters
UnitedHealth is moving to ease criticism of its prior authorization process. The UnitedHealthcare unit said this month it will drop prior approval for 30% of services that still need it. CEO Tim Noel said the aim is to “make it easier” for patients to get care. Reuters
UnitedHealth and CVS are taking steps, too. In April, both companies said they had standardized data and submission rules for over half of prior authorizations. UnitedHealthcare’s goal is to run more than 70% of its requests through the new process by year-end. CVS’s Aetna unit said it had reached 88% of its volume standardized.
But risk is still there. UnitedHealth said last year it was answering formal criminal and civil Justice Department requests about parts of its Medicare segment. The company said it stands by its practices and will cooperate with investigators. Medicare Advantage is still a big piece of what is moving the stock.
Berkshire’s sale could signal changing priorities for its portfolio, not just views on UnitedHealth. The timing is tricky. UnitedHealth is telling Wall Street to back its price moves, less bureaucracy and major AI spending, but those bets come before the next claims cycle has shown results.
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