UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) has received an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-eight analysts that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, nine have given a hold recommendation, seventeen have given a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $372.1250.

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on UNH shares. Leerink Partners cut their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $410.00 to $345.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $410.00 to $370.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 2nd. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $430.00 to $410.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $400.00 to $370.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 30th.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $292.97 on Monday. UnitedHealth Group has a one year low of $234.60 and a one year high of $606.36. The stock has a market capitalization of $265.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.41. 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 business’s 50 day simple moving average is $311.98 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $326.28.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.09 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $113.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $113.38 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.69% and a return on equity of 14.79%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $6.81 EPS. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.750- EPS. Analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 9th will be paid a $2.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 9th. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.0%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 67.02%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 91,600,260 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $30,238,162,000 after acquiring an additional 995,210 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 45,232,170 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $14,931,592,000 after purchasing an additional 1,119,834 shares during the period. Capital World Investors increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 22,591,042 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $7,457,723,000 after buying an additional 824,120 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 3.3% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 21,312,182 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $6,624,411,000 after acquiring an additional 675,075 shares during the period. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 3.7% in the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 18,829,054 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $6,215,660,000 after acquiring an additional 680,077 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board affirms quarterly cash dividend of $2.21/share (record March 9, payable March 17), which supports income investors and signals steady capital return policy. Dividend Steady as Margins Tighten Might Change The Case For Investing In UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction: reports show UNH trading materially higher after the dividend announcement, indicating short-term buying interest tied to the payout confirmation. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Trading 3.7% Higher Following Dividend Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Relative strength vs. peers: analysts argue UNH’s scale and diversified model give it better upside versus Humana as managed-care margins are tested, supporting a longer-term constructive view. UnitedHealth vs. Humana: Which Healthcare Stock Has More Upside Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector flows: some strategists recommend rotating into defensive names and healthcare, which could provide tailwinds for UNH even as the macro outlook weakens. Time for Investors to Get Defensive. Sell Staples and Buy Healthcare.
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance and margin pressure: coverage highlights weaker 2026 revenue guidance and rising medical costs (especially Medicare-related), which compress margins and are a key reason for investor caution. Dividend Steady as Margins Tighten Might Change The Case For Investing In UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
• Negative Sentiment: Institutional selling: Aristotle Growth Equity Fund exited its UNH position citing lowered guidance — a signal some funds are trimming exposure ahead of margin headwinds. Aristotle Growth Equity Fund Exited UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Due to Lowered Guidance
• Negative Sentiment: Recent price weakness and re-rating: commentary notes a sizable multi-month share-price decline and that UNH is down since the last earnings report, underscoring investor concerns about near-term earnings and margin recovery. Is It Time To Reassess UnitedHealth Group (UNH) After A 37% Share Price Slide?

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

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.