Last updated: July 13, 2026 · ← Back to Stock Fact Sheets
NYSE: UNH
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
Managed care & health services · Minnetonka, MN · Founded 1977Live price: Yahoo Finance →
Data as of July 13, 2026
Q1 2026 revenue
$111.7BRevenue growth
+2% YoYAdjusted EPS (Q1)
$7.23GAAP EPS (Q1)
$6.90Medical care ratio
83.9%FY26 adj. EPS guide
>$18.25Q2 2026 EPS estimate
~$4.84Next earnings
Jul 16, 2026Full-year adjusted EPS: actual vs. guide ($)
Full-year revenue: actual vs. guide ($B)
Company snapshot
| Market cap | ~$386B |
| 52-week range | $234.60 – $434.30 |
| P/E (TTM) | ~32x |
| Dividend yield | ~2.1% ($9.28/yr) |
| Debt-to-capital ratio | 42.9% |
| Members served | ~51 million globally |
| 2026 buyback authorized | $2B (through Q2) |
| Analyst consensus | Strong Buy (19 of 26) |
Leadership & segments
| CEO | Stephen Hemsley |
| UnitedHealthcare | Insurance & benefits |
| Optum Health | Care delivery & management |
| Optum Insight | Software & consulting |
| OptumRx | Pharmacy benefits |
| MA Star ratings (2026) | 78% in 4+ Star plans |
| Next earnings | Jul 16, 2026 (Q2 FY26) |
Analyst price targets (pre-Q2 earnings)
Wells Fargo
$485
Raised from $397
Morgan Stanley
$468
Raised from $453
RBC Capital
$463
Raised from $400
HSBC
$380
Raised from $300
Street average
~$420
Strong Buy
↗ Bull case
- Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $7.23 beat consensus by roughly 10%, on medical care ratio stabilizing at 83.9%
- Full-year 2026 guidance raised on both GAAP and adjusted EPS following the Q1 beat
- Multiple sell-side price-target hikes into Q2 earnings (Wells Fargo $485, Morgan Stanley $468, RBC $463)
- Medicare Advantage Star ratings improved — 78% of members now in 4+ Star plans, aiding 2027 reimbursement visibility
- Still well off 52-week high, leaving room to re-rate if Q2 confirms the margin recovery
- Defensive, non-cyclical demand insulates earnings from macro and geopolitical shocks
- Diversified Optum segments reduce reliance on core insurance underwriting alone
↘ Bear case
- Still rebuilding credibility after a rough 2025 marked by cost overruns and a steep stock decline
- Ongoing DOJ antitrust scrutiny and questions around Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment and coverage-denial practices
- Consensus expects a sequential EPS step-down in Q2 vs. Q1 — a miss could reignite volatility
- Wide analyst target dispersion ($380–$485) signals real uncertainty about the durability of the recovery
- Membership contraction continuing in ACA and Medicare Advantage as pricing is prioritized over growth
- Regulatory and political risk around drug pricing and health-insurance reform remains elevated
- High-profile stock prone to sharp single-day moves around quarterly prints (rose 7% after the Q1 beat)
For informational purposes only. Not investment advice. Financials from Q1 2026 earnings (April 21, 2026). Q2 2026 results due July 16, 2026. Price data not shown — check live quote.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) — Company Overview
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE: UNH) is the largest U.S. health insurer by revenue, serving roughly 51 million members globally through its UnitedHealthcare benefits business alongside the Optum family of health-services businesses — Optum Health, Optum Insight, and OptumRx. Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and led by CEO Stephen Hemsley, UnitedHealth is working through a multi-year recovery after a difficult 2025 defined by elevated medical costs, Medicare Advantage margin compression, and intense regulatory and public scrutiny.
Q1 2026 Earnings: Margins Start to Stabilize
UnitedHealth reported Q1 2026 results on April 21, 2026. Revenue came in at $111.7 billion, up 2% year-over-year. Adjusted EPS of $7.23 topped Wall Street’s forecast by roughly 10%, while GAAP EPS was $6.90. The medical care ratio — the share of premium revenue spent on medical costs — stabilized at 83.9%, a signal that the aggressive premium repricing management pushed through over the past several quarters is finally catching up with utilization trends. Earnings from operations totaled $9.0 billion, and cash flow from operations was $8.9 billion, or 1.4 times net income. Shares jumped roughly 7% on the day of the report.
Guidance Raised Twice Since January
UnitedHealth first issued 2026 guidance in January alongside its full-year 2025 results, calling for revenue above $439.0 billion and adjusted EPS above $17.75. Following the Q1 beat, management raised the adjusted EPS outlook to greater than $18.25 per share (GAAP EPS greater than $17.35), while holding the revenue outlook roughly steady. The company also authorized a $2 billion share buyback through the second quarter of 2026 as part of its capital-return program.
Q2 2026 Earnings Preview: July 16
UnitedHealth reports Q2 2026 results on Thursday, July 16, 2026, before market open — kicking off earnings season for managed-care organizations. Consensus calls for adjusted EPS of roughly $4.84–$4.85, up about 18–19% year-over-year, on revenue near $110.8–$110.9 billion. Management has indicated that roughly two-thirds of full-year earnings are expected in the first half of 2026, implying a sequential step-down from Q1’s print — a normal seasonal pattern rather than a sign of deterioration, though the market will be watching closely for confirmation. Key areas of focus: continued Medicare Advantage margin recovery, UnitedHealthcare membership trends in ACA and Medicare Advantage, and execution across the Optum segments.
Analyst Reaction Ahead of Earnings
Sell-side sentiment has turned notably more constructive heading into the print. Wells Fargo raised its target to $485 from $397, Morgan Stanley lifted its target to $468 from $453 and named UNH a “top pick,” RBC Capital raised its target to $463 from $400, and HSBC moved to $380 from $300. Of the 26 analysts covering the stock, 19 rate it Strong Buy, three Moderate Buy, three Hold, and one Strong Sell — an overall Strong Buy consensus, though the wide spread between the lowest and highest targets underscores genuine disagreement about how durable the 2026 margin recovery will prove.
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This fact sheet is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Data as of July 13, 2026.
