UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Shares Up 2% – Time to Buy?

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) shot up 2% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $354.95 and last traded at $354.74. 7,361,077 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 5% from the average session volume of 7,010,502 shares. The stock had previously closed at $347.75.

Trending Headlines about UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho Securities reiterated a Buy on UNH with a $430 price target and flagged the upcoming Medicare Advantage 2027 advance notice as a potential catalyst. Mizuho Securities Remains Positive on UnitedHealth Group Amid the Upcoming Medicare Advantage 2027 Advance Notice
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst previews and model checks are being circulated ahead of Q4 results and Jan. 27 — investors are watching metrics beyond revenue/EPS (medical cost trend, MCR, membership mix). Countdown to UnitedHealth (UNH) Q4 Earnings: A Look at Estimates Beyond Revenue and EPS
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary reminds investors to note Jan. 27 as the date for clarity on Q4 results and forward guidance; that timing is driving positioning. Dear UnitedHealth Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for January 27
• Negative Sentiment: UnitedHealth told Congress it will rebate 2026 ACA plan profits to members — positive for consumers but likely a near-term hit to profits and guidance sensitivity. UnitedHealth to offer rebates to its Obamacare customers
• Negative Sentiment: UnitedHealth and other insurer CEOs faced congressional questioning on affordability — increased regulatory/political scrutiny raises execution and PR risk. UnitedHealth and CVS Get Grilled on Affordability by Congress
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts warn that rising medical costs and a higher medical cost ratio (MCR) could compress margins; some outlets advise waiting until Jan. 27 (earnings/advance-notice) before adding to positions. Buying UnitedHealth Before Q4 Earnings? Cost Pressures a Red Flag
• Negative Sentiment: High-profile media takes (e.g., Jim Cramer) are favoring peers like CVS over UNH, which can influence retail flows and sentiment near this catalyst window. Jim Cramer Says “Let’s Buy CVS, Not UnitedHealth”

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have issued reports on UNH shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped 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. Mizuho raised their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $300.00 to $430.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 6th. TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $335.00 to $338.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Bank of America raised their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $350.00 to $390.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $385.75.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 2.0%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.82 and a quick ratio of 0.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $321.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 0.42. The business has a fifty day moving average of $330.93 and a 200-day moving average of $322.74.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.87 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $113.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $113.19 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 4.04% and a return on equity of 19.23%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $7.15 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 8th were paid a dividend of $2.21 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 8th. This represents a $8.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. UnitedHealth Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.14%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC raised its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 176.2% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 44,249 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $22,384,000 after purchasing an additional 28,231 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 137.1% in the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 4,019 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $2,033,000 after buying an additional 2,324 shares during the period. Bfsg LLC increased its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 2.4% during the second quarter. Bfsg LLC now owns 2,031 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $634,000 after acquiring an additional 47 shares during the period. Revisor Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 11.1% during the second quarter. Revisor Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,263 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $378,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the period. Finally, Sheets Smith Wealth Management increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Sheets Smith Wealth Management now owns 5,041 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,573,000 after buying an additional 97 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.