UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Price Target Raised to $504.00

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) had its price target upped by Piper Sandler from $502.00 to $504.00 in a research report report published on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. Piper Sandler currently has an overweight rating on the healthcare conglomerate’s stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Oppenheimer increased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $420.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $512.00 to $500.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $440.00 to $495.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Mizuho increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $470.00 to $493.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Robert W. Baird lowered their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $453.00 to $427.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Twenty investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, UnitedHealth Group currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $462.90.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

UNH opened at $401.77 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $360.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.92, a PEG ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 0.60. UnitedHealth Group has a 1-year low of $255.96 and a 1-year high of $461.62. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $387.07 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $384.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.78.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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 net margin of 3.53% and a return on equity of 17.95%. The firm 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 company posted $2.59 earnings per share. The company’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. Equities analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group will post 20.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 22nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 14th were issued a $2.32 dividend. This represents a $9.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 14th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is currently 53.00%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Conway sold 1,169 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $390.00, for a total transaction of $455,910.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 15,328 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,977,920. This represents a 7.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.19% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Nvwm LLC grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 89.2% during the 3rd quarter. Nvwm LLC now owns 70 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Wellington Altus USA Inc. raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 97.1% during the 2nd quarter. Wellington Altus USA Inc. now owns 67 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Security National Bank of SO Dak purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at $29,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 results and guidance exceeded expectations. UnitedHealth reported adjusted earnings of $4.69 per share versus the $4.14 consensus estimate, while revenue of $112.7 billion also topped forecasts. Management raised its 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to at least $20.50, supporting the recovery narrative. UnitedHealth Stock Moves Higher: What’s Going On?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains significant. JPMorgan raised its price target to $524 and maintained an “overweight” rating, while Goldman Sachs reportedly lifted its target to $506 after concluding that Medicare Advantage margin recovery is progressing faster than expected. JPMorgan Raises UnitedHealth Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Potential growth areas could support 2027 and beyond. UnitedHealth’s focus on Medicare special-needs plans, expanded coverage and care-delivery operations may provide targeted growth while improving margins. Its low beta also makes UNH attractive as a defensive healthcare holding during inflation and market rotation away from technology stocks. Can UNH’s Focus on Special Needs Plans Strengthen Medicare Growth?
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent gains may have already priced in much of the good news. Commentary noted that the earnings beat and outlook increase were followed by questions about how durable the recovery will be, limiting the immediate upside despite bullish targets. UnitedHealth Beats on Earnings, But Investors Question Growth Path
• Negative Sentiment: Membership fell and medical costs remain high. Analysts are concerned that shrinking membership and elevated utilization could constrain revenue growth and margins, particularly if higher care costs persist. This is the main reason investors are questioning whether the earnings improvement can continue. UnitedHealth’s Q3 Margins Improve, But Membership Falls
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst views are mixed. Barclays issued a pessimistic forecast, Robert W. Baird cut its price target, and TD Cowen reiterated a “hold” rating with a $402 target, signaling limited near-term upside for some investors.

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.