UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Upgraded to “Buy” at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note released on Saturday morning.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Erste Group Bank upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. HC Wainwright set a $492.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Argus raised UnitedHealth Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $400.00 price target on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $466.00 to $516.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. Two 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. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $455.92.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $406.54 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $414.09 and its 200 day moving average is $350.83. UnitedHealth Group has a one year low of $244.37 and a one year high of $461.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.78. The stock has a market cap of $369.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.16, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.62.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.38 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by $1.44. The business had revenue of $112.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $110.81 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 16.53% and a net margin of 3.14%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.08 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 19.500-20.000 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group will post 19.69 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were issued a $2.32 dividend. This represents a $9.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. This is a positive change from UnitedHealth Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $2.21. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is presently 59.72%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $410.00, for a total transaction of $205,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 16,497 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,763,770. This represents a 2.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of UNH. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth $4,376,167,000. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in 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 buying an additional 3,395,530 shares during the period. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in 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 valued at $1,356,432,000 after buying an additional 2,410,128 shares during the period. Cardano Risk Management B.V. grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 864.4% in the 4th quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 2,523,700 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $833,099,000 after acquiring an additional 2,262,006 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 21.8% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 11,713,684 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $3,169,606,000 after purchasing an additional 2,097,859 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

More UnitedHealth Group News

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

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.