UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Given Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus on UnitedHealth, with 19 buys, seven holds and one strong buy among 27 firms. The average 12-month price target is $456.56.
• UnitedHealth reported quarterly EPS of $6.38, beating the $4.94 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $112.03 billion. Management guided to fiscal 2026 EPS of $19.50–$20.00.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $2.32 per share, equivalent to $9.28 annually and a 2.5% yield; institutional investors own 87.86% of the stock.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) has earned a consensus recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the twenty-seven research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, nineteen have assigned a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $456.56.

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on UNH shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $466.00 to $516.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. UBS Group boosted their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $460.00 to $490.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Piper Sandler set a $477.00 price target on UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Oppenheimer raised their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $420.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, HC Wainwright set a $492.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th.

Trending Headlines about UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth’s 2026 turnaround is receiving support from its higher full-year adjusted EPS guidance. The company also pays an annualized dividend of $9.28 per share, offering a yield above 2.4%. This Dividend Stock Is Staging a Turnaround in 2026 and Pays More Than 2.4%
• Positive Sentiment: The upcoming quarterly dividend is $2.32 per share, payable September 22 to shareholders of record as of September 14, reinforcing UnitedHealth’s appeal to income-oriented investors. UnitedHealth to Pay Dividends on September 22
• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth is highlighted among large-cap healthcare stocks that may appeal in a higher-rate environment because of defensive demand, recurring cash flows, pricing power and dividend support. 3 Health Care Stocks Built For Higher Rates

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Patrick Conway sold 1,169 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was 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 directly owned 15,328 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,977,920. The trade was a 7.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.19% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in UNH. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $4,376,167,000. Corient Private Wealth LP acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $245,516,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth approximately $2,444,928,000. Jupiter Topco LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at $2,019,844,000. Finally, BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 4.6% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 76,863,061 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $31,946,594,000 after acquiring an additional 3,395,530 shares during the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $374.87 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group has a 52-week low of $255.96 and a 52-week high of $461.62. The business's 50 day moving average is $404.71 and its two-hundred day moving average is $370.93. The firm has a market cap of $336.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.12, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.94 by $1.44. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.14% and a return on equity of 16.53%. The firm had revenue of $112.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $110.81 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.08 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up .4% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 19.500-20.000 EPS. Research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group will post 19.82 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 22nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 14th will be paid a dividend of $2.32 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 14th. This represents a $9.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. UnitedHealth Group's dividend payout ratio is 59.72%.

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is a diversified health care and well-being company headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Its operations are organized primarily through two businesses: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health benefit plans and services, and Optum, which delivers health care services, technology, pharmacy care and data-driven solutions.

UnitedHealthcare serves individuals, employers, government programs and other organizations through products that include employer-sponsored health plans, individual and family coverage, Medicare and Medicaid plans, dental and vision benefits, and related administrative services.

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