UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH – Get Free Report) had its price target upped by investment analysts at Morgan Stanley from $395.00 to $453.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “overweight” rating on the healthcare conglomerate’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 14.18% from the stock’s previous close.
A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on UNH. Bank of America raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $420.00 to $450.00 in a report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $389.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 28th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $340.00 to $373.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Raymond James Financial upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $330.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded UnitedHealth Group from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $404.42.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on UNH
UnitedHealth Group Price Performance
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 21st. The healthcare conglomerate reported $7.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.76 by $0.47. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.68% and a return on equity of 14.65%. The company had revenue of $111.65 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.84 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $7.20 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.250- EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group will post 18.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group
In other news, CEO Patrick Hugh Conway sold 800 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total transaction of $284,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 17,805 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,320,775. This represents a 4.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Anfield Capital Management LLC boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 220.0% during 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 bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Key UnitedHealth Group News
Here are the key news stories impacting UnitedHealth Group this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Bank of America upgraded UnitedHealth Group to “buy” from “neutral” and raised its price target to $450 from $420, signaling renewed confidence in the stock’s rebound potential. UnitedHealth Group Stock Eyes Rebound on Analyst Upgrade
- Positive Sentiment: UnitedHealth also announced a 5% increase in its quarterly dividend to $2.32 per share, which can support investor sentiment by reinforcing cash-return discipline. UnitedHealth Raises Dividend by 5% as Turnaround Efforts Continue
- Neutral Sentiment: Shareholders re-elected the company’s directors and approved executive compensation at the annual meeting, confirming governance continuity rather than driving a major new catalyst. UnitedHealth Group Updates on Annual Shareholder Meeting, Board Actions
- Neutral Sentiment: Industry commentary remained constructive, with analysts pointing to aging demographics, Medicare premiums, and healthcare technology adoption as tailwinds for managed-care insurers like UNH. 5 HMO Stocks in Focus Amid an Aging U.S. Population, Tech Innovation
- Negative Sentiment: Recent articles highlighted cost pressure and Medicare reimbursement concerns for UnitedHealth, which remain a key overhang for the stock. UnitedHealth Faces Cost Pressure As Managed Care Scrutiny Builds
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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