UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Up 3.2% – Time to Buy?

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)’s stock price shot up 3.2% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $293.46 and last traded at $293.3290. 10,247,307 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 8% from the average session volume of 11,139,948 shares. The stock had previously closed at $284.37.

Key Headlines Impacting UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Optum expansion: Coverage notes that UnitedHealth is strengthening its healthcare platform via continued Optum growth and strategic investments, which supports the long‑term revenue and service mix outlook. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) Strengthens Healthcare Platform Through Optum Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks earnings revisions: Zacks lifted several near‑term earnings forecasts (notably Q1 2026 and FY2027) and raised some multi‑period EPS estimates, which investors view as a sign of recovering earnings momentum despite mixed quarterly results. Zacks Research Issues Positive Forecast for UNH Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Mizuho cut its price target to $350 but maintained an Outperform rating — a mixed signal that trims upside expectations while still showing analyst confidence in recovery. This likely tempers enthusiasm but doesn’t signal a loss of conviction. Mizuho Lowers UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) Target to $350, Maintains Outperform Rating
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory and cost risks spotlighted: Analysis revisiting “3 reasons not to buy” highlights exposure to medical‑cost inflation, constrained government (Medicare Advantage) pricing, delayed Optum margin recovery and regulatory risk — factors that support a more cautious valuation. UnitedHealth: 3 Reasons Not To Buy (Revisited)
• Negative Sentiment: Questions about further downside: Commentary raising the question of whether recent declines are temporary or signal deeper issues (flat MA rates, rising costs) adds selling pressure and uncertainty. Is There More Downside To UNH Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Flat Medicare Advantage outlook & revenue miss: Coverage flags a flat MA rate outlook and a revenue miss that could impair near‑term margin recovery and premium pricing power. Flat Medicare Advantage Outlook And Revenue Drop Might Change The Case For Investing In UNH
• Negative Sentiment: Investor concerns on returns: Analysis noting investor worries about returns on capital and capital allocation could pressure sentiment if growth and ROIC don’t reaccelerate. Some Investors May Be Worried About UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE:UNH) Returns On Capital

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Truist Financial decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $410.00 to $370.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $333.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $411.00 to $409.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $408.00 to $361.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $425.00 to $389.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $372.13.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 3.2%

The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $321.66 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $322.80. The company has a market capitalization of $265.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.24, a PEG ratio of 1.28 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.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.11 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.09 by $0.02. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.69% and a return on equity of 14.79%. The company had revenue of $113.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $113.38 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $6.81 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.750- EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in UNH. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth about $4,376,167,000. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 126.9% in the third quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 13,042,049 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $4,503,419,000 after buying an additional 7,293,009 shares during the last quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,572,193,000. Dodge & Cox boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 117.7% during the second quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 8,750,560 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $2,729,912,000 after purchasing an additional 4,730,192 shares during the period. Finally, Capital World Investors raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 18.8% in the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 21,766,922 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $7,516,107,000 after purchasing an additional 3,439,182 shares during the period. 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.