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Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) operates as a health care company in the United States and internationally. The company is valued at $369.7 billion and operates through four segments: Optum Health, Optum Insight, Optum Rx, and UnitedHealthcare.
Shares of UnitedHealth have outpaced the broader market over the past year, surging 62.9% compared to the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 21.3% surge. Moreover, in 2026, the stock has risen by nearly 23.8%, also rallying above SPX’s 13.3% gain.
Zooming in further, the State Street Healthcare Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) has risen 29.4% over the past year, underperforming the stock. In 2026, XLV has surged 8.8% and lagged behind the stock.
On July 16, UNH stock rose 1.2% following the release of its better-than-expected Q2 2026 earnings. The company’s revenue for the quarter came in at $112.03 billion and surpassed the Street’s forecasts. Moreover, its adjusted EPS amounted to $6.38, also topping Wall Street’s estimates. More impressively, the company’s adjusted operating margin came in at 7.1%, growing from 4.6% in the previous year’s quarter, showcasing greater efficiency in its operations. UNH expects full-year earnings in the range of $19.50 to $20 per share.
For the current year, which ends in December, analysts expect UNH’s EPS to rise 20.4% to $19.69 on a diluted basis. The company surpassed the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters, which is impressive.
Among the 26 analysts covering UNH stock, the consensus is a “Strong Buy.” That’s based on 20 “Strong Buy” ratings, three “Moderate Buys,” and three “Holds.”
The configuration has grown more bullish over the past months, with the stock now having 20 “Strong Buy” ratings, up from 18 three months prior.
On July 22, Bernstein analyst Lance Wilkes maintained a “Buy” rating on UnitedHealth and set a price target of $512.
UNH’s mean price target of $482 offers an upside of 17.9% compared to the current market price. Its Street-high target of $529 implies a robust 29.4% upside from current levels.
On the date of publication, Aritra Gangopadhyay did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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