UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Up 1.1% – Still a Buy?

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) traded up 1.1% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $339.45 and last traded at $338.73. 6,740,428 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 2% from the average session volume of 6,612,809 shares. The stock had previously closed at $334.96.

Key Stories Impacting UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth launched a six‑month MA pilot that accelerates payments to rural hospitals (cutting cycles by roughly 50% and to under 15 days), which should ease provider cash‑flow strain and improve relations with rural providers — a tangible operational win that investors view positively. Does UnitedHealth’s MA Pilot Signal a New Rural Support Model?
• Positive Sentiment: Reported share acquisition by Rep. Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr. signals insider/connected buying, which can bolster investor confidence in near term demand for the stock. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Acquired Rep. Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr.
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street analyst coverage and recent optimistic commentary are drawing attention and may support the rally as brokers re‑assess ratings and targets. Is UnitedHealth (UNH) a Buy as Wall Street Analysts Look Optimistic?
• Neutral Sentiment: Options‑market analysis shows active positioning and mixed sentiment — useful for gauging short‑term volatility but not a clear directional catalyst. UnitedHealth Group Options Trading: A Deep Dive into Market Sentiment
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation and peer comparison: Forbes notes UNH has lagged CVS and Centene over the past year but highlights solid operating margins and a comparatively moderate PE — framing UNH as possibly undervalued relative to peers. UNH Stock vs. CVS
• Negative Sentiment: Several pieces revisit UNH’s 2025 headwinds and note a steep share decline (roughly mid‑30%s last year), arguing there are substantive operational and reimbursement risks that could pressure earnings and valuation. Should You Buy Shares of UnitedHealth In January?
• Negative Sentiment: Analyses highlighting “big problems to treat in 2026” remain a drag on sentiment — reminders that the company still faces regulatory, pricing and margin pressures despite recent initiatives. UnitedHealth just got a checkup, and UNH stock has some big problems to treat in 2026

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNH has been the topic of several analyst reports. Bank of America increased their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $350.00 to $390.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $310.00 to $425.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Zacks Research raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, October 6th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $317.00 to $409.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $385.75.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

The stock has a 50 day moving average of $329.85 and a 200 day moving average of $321.87. The company has a market capitalization of $306.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.02 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 released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.87 by $0.05. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.04% and a return on equity of 19.23%. The firm had revenue of $113.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $113.19 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $7.15 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 12.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 8th were issued a dividend of $2.21 per share. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 8th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is currently 46.14%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Murphy Pohlad Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 21.8% in the second quarter. Murphy Pohlad Asset Management LLC now owns 4,425 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,380,000 after purchasing an additional 791 shares during the period. Carnegie Investment Counsel lifted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Carnegie Investment Counsel now owns 105,621 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $36,471,000 after purchasing an additional 2,316 shares in the last quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,572,193,000. Wealth Effects LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 14.4% in the second quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 4,688 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $1,463,000 after buying an additional 591 shares in the last quarter. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 20.7% during the second quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 20,683 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $6,462,000 after acquiring an additional 3,545 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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.