Erste Group Bank Has Positive Outlook of UNH FY2026 Earnings

Key Points

• Erste Group Bank slightly raised its FY2026 EPS estimate for UnitedHealth Group to $18.30 from $18.28 and kept a Buy rating on the stock. It also projected FY2027 EPS of $20.70.
• UnitedHealth’s most recent quarterly results beat expectations, with EPS of $7.23 and revenue of $111.65 billion, while management reaffirmed FY2026 guidance at about $18.25 EPS.
• Wall Street sentiment remains broadly constructive, with multiple firms maintaining or raising targets and the stock carrying a Moderate Buy consensus price target of $378.88.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH - Free Report) - Equities researchers at Erste Group Bank upped their FY2026 EPS estimates for shares of UnitedHealth Group in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, May 12th. Erste Group Bank analyst H. Engel now expects that the healthcare conglomerate will post earnings per share of $18.30 for the year, up from their prior forecast of $18.28. Erste Group Bank currently has a "Buy" rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for UnitedHealth Group's current full-year earnings is $18.29 per share. Erste Group Bank also issued estimates for UnitedHealth Group's FY2027 earnings at $20.70 EPS.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.76 by $0.47. The business had revenue of $111.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $109.84 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.68% and a return on equity of 14.65%. The business's revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $7.20 EPS. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS.

A number of other brokerages have also recently commented on UNH. UBS Group dropped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $430.00 to $410.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $327.00 to $373.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $370.00 to $397.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $385.00 to $405.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, Piper Sandler reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $378.88.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $398.84 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $362.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.12, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.64. UnitedHealth Group has a 12 month low of $234.60 and a 12 month high of $404.15. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $314.78 and its 200-day simple moving average is $318.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.80.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Monday, March 9th were issued a $2.21 dividend. This represents a $8.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 9th. UnitedHealth Group's payout ratio is 66.77%.

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total value of $284,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 17,805 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,320,775. The trade was a 4.30% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UNH. Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Anfield Capital Management LLC grew its position in UnitedHealth Group by 220.0% in the 4th quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 80 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More UnitedHealth Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage remains constructive after UNH’s strong first-quarter results, with revenue of about $111.7 billion and EPS of $7.23, which beat estimates and led management to raise full-year EPS guidance above $18.25. Analysts also highlighted a planned Q2 buyback of more than $2 billion and said the company’s integrated healthcare model still supports a premium valuation. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: UNH has been attracting momentum-focused attention, with multiple reports calling it a strong momentum stock and noting heavy investor searches, which can reinforce buying interest. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: The stock recently hit a new 52-week high, reflecting strong investor confidence after its post-earnings rebound and signaling continued bullish sentiment. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market gains, including a strong Dow rally and new highs in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, likely provided a supportive backdrop for UNH, though this was not specific to the company. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary cautioned that regulatory and legal risks remain, including DOJ antitrust scrutiny and possible PBM rule changes, which could pressure sentiment if investors focus on future margin and business-model risk. Article Title

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.

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