UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Trading 2% Higher – Here’s What Happened

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)’s stock price was up 2% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $286.31 and last traded at $284.3720. Approximately 12,316,075 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 10% from the average daily volume of 11,169,387 shares. The stock had previously closed at $278.91.

UnitedHealth Group News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised several near‑term and medium‑term EPS forecasts (including Q1 2026 and FY2027 upgrades) — supportive for expected earnings recovery and gives investors some upside visibility. MarketBeat Zacks Coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho kept an Outperform rating after reducing its price target, signaling confidence in the recovery thesis even as timing slips; that limits downside from purely negative analyst chatter. Mizuho Maintains Outperform
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish coverage highlights Optum expansion and longer‑term platform strength — this is why some investors treat recent weakness as a buying opportunity for retirement/long‑term portfolios. Optum Expansion Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks’ coverage is mixed: while some quarterly/yearly estimates were raised, other quarter estimates (several Q3/Q4 periods) were trimmed — this creates uncertainty about the timing of margin recovery. Zacks Mixed Revisions
• Negative Sentiment: Analysis pieces reiterate downside risks: pressure from medical cost inflation, constraints on government funding and a flat Medicare Advantage outlook that could limit premium increases and compress profit margins. Seeking Alpha: 3 Reasons Not To Buy
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage highlights the recent sharp pullback and asks whether the weakness signals a temporary reset or deeper structural issues — adding to investor caution and volatility. Forbes: More Downside?
• Negative Sentiment: Specific reporting points to a flat Medicare Advantage outlook and revenue pressures that could change the investment case if sustained. Yahoo Finance: Flat MA Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Investor concern about returns on capital and longer‑term profitability metrics adds to the negative narrative and could prolong multiple compression if not addressed. Yahoo Finance: Returns On Capital Concern

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNH has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $333.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $425.00 to $389.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $411.00 to $409.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $372.13.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

The company has a 50-day moving average price of $322.64 and a 200-day moving average price of $323.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $257.60 billion, a PE ratio of 21.56, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 0.41.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.11 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.09 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $113.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $113.38 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 14.79% and a net margin of 2.69%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 12.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $6.81 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.750- EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of UnitedHealth Group

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of UNH. Federation des caisses Desjardins du Quebec increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 8.2% during the fourth quarter. Federation des caisses Desjardins du Quebec now owns 379,671 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $125,332,000 after acquiring an additional 28,715 shares during the last quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 6.0% during the fourth quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 12,450 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $4,095,000 after purchasing an additional 709 shares during the last quarter. Callan Family Office LLC raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 21.5% during the fourth quarter. Callan Family Office LLC now owns 61,023 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $20,144,000 after purchasing an additional 10,799 shares during the period. XXI Wealth LLC acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $460,000. Finally, TopTier Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth $678,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

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.