The chief executive of UnitedHealth Group’s insurance division, Brian Thompson, was fatally shot outside his hotel in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday morning. According to reports, Thompson had received threats related to his role as the nation’s largest provider of health coverage.
Thompson, who has been CEO since April 2021, was attending UnitedHealth’s investor day conference when he was attacked by a masked man. The killing is being investigated as a possible targeted attack.
Despite the tragedy, UNH stock rose on Wednesday as investors reacted positively to the company’s new earnings outlook for 2025 and updated outlook for 2024. However, on Thursday, the stock tumbled 5.2% in reaction to Thompson’s death.
Police have found evidence that suggests the killer was motivated by a desire to “deny” and “defend,” with messages written on bullets and shell casings referencing a 2010 book. The targeting of managed-care executives is now being seen as a threat, leading UnitedHealth to remove bios and pictures of top executives from its investor relations site.
Analysts have expressed concerns about the impact of Thompson’s murder on the company, which continues to deal with fallout from other issues such as a cyberattack and higher medical utilization levels.
Source: https://www.investors.com/news/unitedhealth-group-unh-top-exec-fatally-shot-unh-investor-day