Barclays Issues Pessimistic Forecast for UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Stock Price

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) had its target price lowered by research analysts at Barclays from $391.00 to $327.00 in a note issued to investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “overweight” rating on the healthcare conglomerate’s stock. Barclays‘s price objective indicates a potential upside of 13.92% from the company’s current price.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $335.00 to $338.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $310.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on UnitedHealth Group in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $406.00 target price on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $376.75.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Down 1.8%

NYSE:UNH opened at $287.03 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $330.74 and a 200 day simple moving average of $323.51. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. The firm has a market capitalization of $260.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.42. UnitedHealth Group has a 1-year low of $234.60 and a 1-year high of $606.36.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.11 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.09 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $113.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $113.38 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 2.69% and a return on equity of 14.79%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $6.81 earnings per share. UnitedHealth Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.750- EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that UnitedHealth Group will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UnitedHealth Group

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Secured Retirement Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Secured Retirement Advisors LLC now owns 1,839 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $607,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the period. North Star Investment Management Corp. lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 4.4% during the 4th quarter. North Star Investment Management Corp. now owns 1,821 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $601,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Activest Wealth Management grew its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 31.3% in the fourth quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 3,972 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,311,000 after purchasing an additional 946 shares during the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 4th quarter worth about $213,000. Finally, Verity Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $305,000. Institutional investors own 87.86% of the company’s stock.

UnitedHealth Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and near-term optimism: UNH reported an EPS beat that briefly lifted sentiment and helped the stock rally after the print. That positive earnings surprise shows operations can still deliver despite headwinds. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Shares Up 4% After Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Potential policy upside: Commentary that UNH is negotiating with the administration for more favorable Medicare rates is a tailwind if realized, supporting longer-term policy risk mitigation. 5 Stocks Primed for a Turnaround in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Modest analyst adjustments but continued support: Morgan Stanley trimmed its target slightly while keeping an Overweight rating, signaling analyst conviction remains even as near-term assumptions are revised. UnitedHealth (UNH) Sees Modest Target Cut at Morgan Stanley
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor debate on durability: Several analyst pieces argue the current weakness may be temporary (AI-driven efficiencies, margin recovery) — this creates mixed near-term flows as value buyers size positions vs. risk-averse sellers. UnitedHealth: Opportunity Is Here – Temporary FY2026 Pain
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst price-target cuts: Barclays and Wells Fargo lowered targets (while keeping Overweight ratings), signaling reduced near-term expectations and likely weighing on buying momentum. Analyst Price Target Changes (Benzinga)
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory/reimbursement pressure: Proposed smaller Medicare reimbursements and government scrutiny of insurer margins remain the largest catalyst for the sell-off and uncertainty around 2026-27 margins. UnitedHealth Plunges After Weak Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Elevated bearish positioning: Unusual options activity showed a large jump in put buying, indicating short-term hedging or speculative bearish bets that can amplify downward moves. (Options volume data reported 376,697 puts traded vs. average ~163k.)

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

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.