UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Down 2.3% – Here’s What Happened

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) shares fell 2.3% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $330.43 and last traded at $331.25. 7,897,786 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 17% from the average session volume of 6,748,074 shares. The stock had previously closed at $338.96.

Key UnitedHealth Group News

Here are the key news stories impacting UnitedHealth Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth is running a six-month Medicare Advantage pilot that speeds payments by roughly 50% (sub‑15 day cycles) to help rural hospitals’ cash flow — a move that can reduce provider strain and preserve network stability. Does UnitedHealth’s MA Pilot Signal a New Rural Support Model?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains constructive and media pieces note recent outperformance; one report highlighted a recent session where UNH rose ~1.2%, reflecting pockets of upside sentiment among investors. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Surpasses Market Returns: Some Facts Worth Knowing
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street analyst sentiment and buy-side interest are being cited as supportive factors as brokers review UNH ratings and earnings prospects. Is UnitedHealth (UNH) a Buy as Wall Street Analysts Look Optimistic?
• Positive Sentiment: Filings show a purchase by Rep. Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr., which can be interpreted as incremental insider/institutional demand. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Acquired Rep. Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr.
• Neutral Sentiment: Options flow and sentiment analyses are active (heavy trading / interest), giving insight into positioning but not a clear directional signal. UnitedHealth Group Options Trading: A Deep Dive into Market Sentiment
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparisons with peers (CVS, Centene) show UNH has lagged on total return over the past year but retains stronger operating margin and a more moderate P/E — a mixed fundamental picture for relative-value investors. UNH Stock vs. CVS
• Neutral Sentiment: Several trend/overview pieces note UNH as a widely watched ticker; that attention increases flows but doesn’t guarantee direction. Here is What to Know Beyond Why UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Roundups (Dogs of the Dow) include dividend and yield context that may attract income-focused buyers, but UNH’s yield/placement vs. high-yield names is mixed. The Dogs of the Dow: 10 Downtrodden Dividends Paying Out Up to 6.8%
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and commentators flag material margin compression after a sharp rise in healthcare costs last year, which has depressed profits and is the primary near‑term concern driving selling pressure. UnitedHealth at an Inflection Point: Margin Recovery or Prolonged Challenges?
• Negative Sentiment: Balanced ‘checkup’ pieces outline bear-case headwinds for 2026 (costs, potential reimbursement/policy risks) that keep investors cautious despite structural scale advantages. UnitedHealth just got a checkup, and UNH stock has some big problems to treat in 2026. The bull and bear cases now

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNH has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $333.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Weiss Ratings upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Bank of America increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $350.00 to $390.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $267.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 7th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $386.00 to $391.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $385.75.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 2.3%

The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $330.33 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $322.09. The company has a market capitalization of $300.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.29, a P/E/G ratio of 2.00 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.87 by $0.05. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 19.23% and a net margin of 4.04%.The firm had revenue of $113.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $113.19 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $7.15 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 12.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Investors of record on Monday, December 8th were paid a $2.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 8th. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.14%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Park Edge Advisors LLC lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 28.5% during the 4th quarter. Park Edge Advisors LLC now owns 1,712 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $565,000 after acquiring an additional 380 shares during the period. MRA Advisory Group boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 12.1% in the fourth quarter. MRA Advisory Group now owns 2,806 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $926,000 after buying an additional 303 shares during the last quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 29.4% in the 4th quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC now owns 10,957 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $3,617,000 after buying an additional 2,488 shares during the period. Genesee Capital Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 15.3% in the 4th quarter. Genesee Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,643 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $542,000 after acquiring an additional 218 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sims Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 28.1% during the fourth quarter. Sims Investment Management LLC now owns 2,201 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $727,000 after purchasing an additional 483 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Inc is a diversified health care company headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, that operates two primary business platforms: UnitedHealthcare and Optum. Founded in 1977, the company provides a broad range of health benefits and health care services to individuals, employers, governmental entities and other organizations. Its operations span commercial employer-sponsored plans, individual and Medicare and Medicaid programs, and services for customers and health systems in the United States and selected international markets.

UnitedHealthcare is the company’s benefits business, administering health plans and networks, managing provider relationships, and offering coverage products for employers, individuals, and government-sponsored programs.