UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated provides healthcare services in the United States to individuals, families, seniors, and businesses.

The company's Health Care Services segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services plus administrative and other management services to customers.

UnitedHealth Group Inc. has a market cap of $36.86 billion; its shares were traded at around $26 with a P/E ratio of 7.7 and P/S ratio of 0.48.

The dividend yield of UnitedHealth Group Inc. stocks is 0.1%.

Recently, Ron Muhlenkamp has lowered his holdings in UNH, his firm's largest holding at the end of the first quarter of 2008.

Reuters reports that a recent bill that that was voted on in the U.S. House also impacts UNH as it proposes budget cuts to health companies which hold private health plans that contract with the government for patients on Medicare.

Warren Buffet’s holdings in UNH have gone from 1,021,400 shares at the end of 2006 to 6,400,000 shares in 2008.

The value of the stock has risen from $47.6 million at the end of 2006 to a high of $349.2 million at the end of 2007

Like Warren Buffet, most Gurus that own UNH have kept their shares of stock unchanged or only slightly adjusted, including Chris Davis, Edward Owens, George Soros, Dodge & Cox, Wallace Weitz, Kenneth Fisher, Glenn Greenberg, Ronald Muhlenkamp, David Dreman, and Bill Miller.

In contrast, Robert Olstein and Ron Baron sold out their holdings in the quarter that ended on March 31, 2008 .

Both Director Michele J Hooper and EVP, Human Capital Lori Sweere bought shares of UNH stock recently while Director Richard T Burke, Director James A /dc/ Johnson, and Director Thomas H Kean have recently sold shares of UNH stock. The price of UNH stock has decreased by an average of 9% since the start of the third quarter in 2008.
Wells Fargo Co. (WFC)

Wells Fargo & Company is a large and successful financial institution in the United States that provides banking, investment, insurance and mortgage services.

It operates in three segments: Community Banking, Wholesale Banking, and Wells Fargo Financial. Wells Fargo & Company has a market cap of $83.89 billion;

its shares were traded at around $24.07 with a P/E ratio of 10.38 and P/S ratio of 2.54. 

The dividend yield of Wells Fargo & Company stocks is 4.8%.

Although recently small banks are predicted to experience a downward slump in the market, larger banks, such as Wells Fargo, are said to be reasonably secure, according to Business Week. Yahoo! Finance reports however, that despite the security Wells Fargo & Co. spent $640,000 in the first quarter to lobby on credit card regulation and mortgage reform, among other issues.

Warren Buffet has had shares in Wells Fargo Co. since 2001, owning 110,142,760 shares in 2000 and 290,654,868 shares in 2008.

His number of shares has increased steadily even as the value of the stock has decreased after reaching their highest value of $9.9 billion at a price of $35.62 per share in 2007 to $8.5 billion at a price of $29.10 per share in 2008.

While Warren Buffet’s holdings have remained relatively unchanged, similar to Chris Davis, David Dreman, Kenneth Fisher, Tweeney Browne, Ruane Cunniff, NWQ Managers, Chuck Akre, and Arnold Van Den Berg, stock guru Richard Snow just initiated his holdings in the company. Brian Rogers, Dodge & Cox, Ron Baron, and George Soros however, chose to increase their positions while Wallace Weitz and Ken Heebner chose to decrease their positions.

Both President & CEO, Director John G Stumpf and Director Richard M Kovacevich bought shares of WFC stock despite a recent decline in value.
SunTrust Banks Inc. (STI)

SunTrust Banks, Inc. is a diversified financial services company that provides personal finance, business banking, and institutional financial services to various to consumer and corporate customers in the United States .

SunTrust Banks Inc. has a market cap of $14.26 billion; its shares were traded at around $37 with a P/E ratio of 9.43 and P/S ratio of 2.30. 

The dividend yield of SunTrust Banks Inc. stocks is 7%.

Smaller banks are predicted to face a more difficult year this year due to the national economic downturn and SunTrust Banks Inc. is no exception.

It has dropped 29.7 percent within the last four weeks.

Warren Buffet has been a long term holder of SunTrust Banks, Inc. Currently, Warren Buffett owns 3,204,600 shares of STI as the first quarter of 2008 a number which accounts for 0.27% of the $66.46 billion portfolio of Berkshire Hathaway.

Like Warren Buffet, Brian Rogers, David Dreman, Chris Davis, Kenneth Fisher, Dodge & Cox and Ruane Cunniff all kept steady shares in STI.

Recently, Corp. EVP and CFO Mark A Chancy bought shares of STI stock while Chairman William R Jr Reed sold his shares while prices were declining.