UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided EPS guidance of 20.500- for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 19.860.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 4.8%

NYSE:UNH opened at $396.02 on Thursday. UnitedHealth Group has a 1 year low of $255.96 and a 1 year high of $461.62. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The stock has a market cap of $355.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.62, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.60. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $387.10 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $383.47.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $4.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.14 by $0.55. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 17.95% and a net margin of 3.53%. The business had revenue of $112.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $111.31 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.59 EPS. UnitedHealth Group’s revenue for the quarter was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 20.500- EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group will post 20.00 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 22nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 14th were paid a $2.32 dividend. This represents a $9.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 14th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is presently 59.72%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNH has been the subject of several analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $435.00 to $490.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $370.00 to $467.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Piper Sandler upped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $502.00 to $504.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $463.00 to $478.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $470.00 to $493.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Twenty research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $461.83.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Patrick Conway sold 1,169 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $390.00, for a total value of $455,910.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 15,328 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,977,920. The trade was a 7.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Key UnitedHealth Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth reported adjusted earnings of $4.69 per share, above the approximately $4.14 consensus estimate, while revenue of $112.7 billion also exceeded expectations. Operating earnings increased 52% to $6.6 billion, supporting confidence in the company’s turnaround. UnitedHealth Group Shares Gap Up Following Strong Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its 2026 adjusted earnings outlook to at least $20.50 per share, above its prior $19.50-to-$20.00 range and analyst expectations. The company also indicated that 2027 growth could be stronger than current Wall Street forecasts. UnitedHealth Group Stock Jumps on Profit Outlook Raise
• Positive Sentiment: Improved medical cost management helped the medical care ratio reach 88.4%. Investors were encouraged by better profitability across UnitedHealthcare and Optum, as well as management’s expectation that Medicaid margins will begin improving after 2026. UnitedHealth Group Gains After Q3 Beat and Higher Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains broadly constructive. Piper Sandler raised its target to $504 and maintained an overweight rating, while Mizuho named UNH a top healthcare pick; several targets imply substantial upside from recent levels. UnitedHealth Stock Moves Higher

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health care and well-being company serving individuals, employers, health care providers and government programs. Its operations are organized primarily through UnitedHealthcare and Optum.

UnitedHealthcare provides health benefit plans and services, including employer-sponsored coverage, individual and family plans, Medicare and Medicaid offerings, and other government-supported programs. Its services include health insurance administration, pharmacy benefits and care management.

Optum provides health care services, technology and data solutions, pharmacy services, and analytics to health plans, employers, government agencies, health care providers and consumers.