UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Rating Upgraded by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded UnitedHealth Group from “hold” to “buy,” adding to a broadly positive analyst outlook. The stock has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $455.92.
• UnitedHealth reported quarterly earnings of $6.38 per share, beating estimates of $4.94, while revenue reached $112.03 billion. The company maintained fiscal 2026 earnings guidance of $19.50–$20.00 per share.
• Institutional investors own approximately 87.86% of the stock, with major holders including BlackRock and Bank of America increasing their positions. CEO Patrick Hugh Conway, however, sold 500 shares for about $205,000.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Saturday.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Bank of America restated a "buy" rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Erste Group Bank raised UnitedHealth Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. DA Davidson set a $512.00 price objective on UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $466.00 to $516.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $397.00 to $485.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $455.92.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

UNH opened at $406.54 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.78 and a quick ratio of 0.80. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $414.09 and a 200 day simple moving average of $350.83. UnitedHealth Group has a 1 year low of $244.37 and a 1 year high of $461.62. The company has a market capitalization of $369.20 billion, a PE ratio of 26.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by $1.44. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 16.53% and a net margin of 3.14%.The company had revenue of $112.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $110.81 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.08 earnings per share. The company's revenue 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 expect that UnitedHealth Group will post 19.69 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $410.00, for a total transaction of $205,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 16,497 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,763,770. The trade was a 2.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.19% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter worth $4,376,167,000. BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 4.6% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 76,863,061 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $31,946,594,000 after acquiring an additional 3,395,530 shares during the last quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 141.9% in the 4th quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,109,029 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $1,356,432,000 after acquiring an additional 2,410,128 shares in the last quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. boosted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 864.4% during the 4th quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 2,523,700 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock valued at $833,099,000 after purchasing an additional 2,262,006 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 21.8% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 11,713,684 shares of the healthcare conglomerate's stock worth $3,169,606,000 after purchasing an additional 2,097,859 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.86% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting UnitedHealth Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth was highlighted as a leading long-term value stock by Zacks, supporting the view that its scale, diversified healthcare operations and earnings potential could appeal to long-term investors. Why UnitedHealth Group Is a Top Value Stock for the Long-Term
• Positive Sentiment: UNH was included among healthcare stocks benefiting from strengthening defensive demand and improving earnings expectations. The company’s recent quarterly results also exceeded consensus estimates, with earnings of $6.38 per share versus expectations of $4.94, while maintaining 2026 earnings guidance of $19.50 to $20.00 per share. 4 Healthcare Stocks to Watch as Defensive Demand Strengthens
• Positive Sentiment: A separate report said UnitedHealth is regaining investor favor after a volatile period, suggesting improving sentiment around the company’s outlook and recovery potential. Why UnitedHealth Group Is Regaining Favor After a Volatile Stretch
• Neutral Sentiment: UnitedHealth was described as the leader of its health-insurance peer group, but investors are paying a premium for that perceived quality. The valuation could remain justified if the company sustains superior execution, though it may limit further upside if growth slows. UNH Leads Its Peer Group. You Pay For That
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 500 UNH shares for approximately $205,000, reducing his direct holdings by 2.94%. The sale is relatively small compared with his remaining stake, but insider selling can create a modest sentiment headwind. SEC Insider Transaction Filing

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

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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