UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price Down 1.7% – Time to Sell?

Posted by Brian Himes on Nov 2nd, 2026

Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH – Get Free Report) dropped 1.7% on Monday. The company traded as low as $394.11 and last traded at $400.1890. 5,858,418 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 19% from the average session volume of 7,254,990 shares. The stock had previously closed at $406.97.

Key Stories Impacting UnitedHealth Group

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

Positive Sentiment: BetterInvesting names UNH an undervalued stock. BetterInvesting Magazine selected UnitedHealth as its “Undervalued Stock” for the January–February 2027 issue, potentially reinforcing the view that the shares are priced below their long-term value. BetterInvesting Magazine Update on Amazon.com and UnitedHealth Group
Positive Sentiment: ETF demand provides a technical tailwind. ETFs recorded approximately $35 million of net UnitedHealth purchases on October 29, with 41 funds buying shares versus 19 selling. The buying follows a broader four-day stretch of net ETF inflows and may signal institutional interest as investors anticipate margin recovery. UnitedHealth Sees $35 Million in Net ETF Buying
Positive Sentiment: Optum Insight’s AI investments could improve profitability. UnitedHealth is increasing spending on AI tools intended to streamline operations, improve claims processing and raise efficiency. Successful execution could support long-term growth, although the near-term effect may be limited while investment costs remain elevated. Will UNH’s Optum Insight Spending Translate Into Profit Growth?
Neutral Sentiment: Recent operating results offer some support but do not eliminate concerns. UnitedHealth’s latest reported quarter exceeded consensus estimates for earnings and revenue, while management maintained full-year earnings guidance. However, revenue was slightly lower year over year, keeping investors focused on medical costs and margin recovery.
Negative Sentiment: Senator Elizabeth Warren renewed calls to break up UnitedHealth. Warren argues that the company’s scale, including its $3.3 billion Amedisys acquisition, gives it excessive influence over healthcare. Continued scrutiny creates antitrust and regulatory uncertainty for the insurer. Elizabeth Warren Says UnitedHealth Was Given More Power
Negative Sentiment: Broader criticism of insurers adds reputational and policy risk. Mark Cuban said employers may eventually use AI to identify excessive healthcare costs, potentially pressuring insurers’ pricing power and contract economics. Mark Cuban on Healthcare Costs

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently commented on UNH. BMO Capital Markets set a $512.00 target price on UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Zacks Research downgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, September 14th. DA Davidson set a $512.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Leerink Partners lifted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $462.00 to $472.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Finally, HC Wainwright set a $500.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Friday, October 16th. Twenty equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $463.93.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on UNH

UnitedHealth Group Stock Down 1.7%

The stock has a market cap of $359.21 billion, a PE ratio of 22.85, a P/E/G ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 0.51. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $390.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $362.40. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $4.69 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.14 by $0.55. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 17.95% and a net margin of 3.53%. The company had revenue of $112.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $111.31 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.59 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group’s quarterly revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 20.500- EPS. Equities research analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 20.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 22nd. Investors of record on Monday, September 14th were paid a $2.32 dividend. This represents a $9.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 14th. UnitedHealth Group’s payout ratio is currently 53.00%.

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, CEO Patrick Conway sold 1,169 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $390.00, for a total transaction of $455,910.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 15,328 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,977,920. This trade represents a 7.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. City State Bank grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 5.6% in the third quarter. City State Bank now owns 471 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $173,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares during the period. Murphy Pohlad Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Murphy Pohlad Asset Management LLC now owns 5,305 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,947,000 after buying an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. LFG Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 3.3% during the 2nd quarter. LFG Wealth Partners LLC now owns 853 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $355,000 after buying an additional 27 shares in the last quarter. Synergy Financial Group LTD grew its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 3.1% in the 2nd quarter. Synergy Financial Group LTD now owns 887 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $369,000 after acquiring an additional 27 shares during the period. Finally, Ares Financial Consulting LLC increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 7.2% in the 2nd quarter. Ares Financial Consulting LLC now owns 419 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $174,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. 87.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health care company that provides health insurance coverage, health care services, pharmacy services and health technology. Its businesses serve individuals, employers, government programs, health care providers and other organizations, primarily in the United States.

The company operates through two principal businesses. UnitedHealthcare offers health benefit plans and related services for employers, individuals, families and government-sponsored programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.