Trump's Healthcare Plan Boosts Insurers, UnitedHealth Up 1%

Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst

CI+2.56%

CVS+2.56%

UNH+1.19%

Source: stocktwits

Updated: 5h ago

0mins

Source: stocktwits

Healthcare Plan Unveiled: Trump's 'Great Healthcare Plan' aims to provide direct funding to consumers for purchasing health insurance, although details on eligibility and amounts remain unspecified, potentially lowering insurance costs and enhancing consumer healthcare access.
Insurance Stocks Rally: Following the announcement of the healthcare plan, insurance stocks saw a rebound, with UnitedHealth (UNH) rising 1%, while CVS Health (CVS) and Cigna (CI) increased nearly 3%, indicating a positive market reaction to the initiative.
Analyst Insights: According to Cantor Fitzgerald, the proposal is favorable for medical insurers, suggesting that the mandates are not disruptive but rather a rebranding effort, with expected benefits for companies like UnitedHealth and Cigna.
Market Sentiment Shift: Despite UNH's stock losing nearly 38% over the past year, CVS has gained over 50%, reflecting divergent investor sentiment, particularly on Stocktwits, where UNH and CVS stocks exhibited contrasting market expectations.

$277.94+Infinity%1D

Analyst Views on CI

Wall Street analysts forecast CI stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CI is 337.60 USD with a low forecast of 294.00 USD and a high forecast of 378.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.

15 Analyst Rating

13 Buy

2 Hold

0 Sell

Strong Buy

Current: 271.000

Low

294.00

Averages

337.60

High

378.00

Current: 271.000

Low

294.00

Averages

337.60

High

378.00

Mizuho

Outperform

maintain

$307 -> $325

Al Analysis

2026-01-09

Reason

Mizuho

Price Target

$307 -> $325

Al Analysis

2026-01-09

maintain

Outperform

Reason

Mizuho raised the firm's price target on Cigna to $325 from $307 and keeps an Outperform rating on the shares. The firm updated targets in the healthcare facilities and managed care group as part of a Q4 preview. Mizuho's physician survey indicated healthcare utilization growth trends decelerated sequentially despite easier year-over-year comps, which could indicate trend is peaking, the analyst tells investors in a research note.

Bernstein

Market Perform

maintain

$294 -> $307

2026-01-06

Reason

Bernstein

Price Target

$294 -> $307

2026-01-06

maintain

Market Perform

Reason

Bernstein raised the firm's price target on Cigna to $307 from $294 and keeps a Market Perform rating on the shares. The firm sees a sector turnaround in the government managed care organization sector beginning in 2026, but expects to see bumps in the recovery. Bernstein believes all MCO sectors present attractive entry points, with Medicare Advantage likely to see the nearest term earnings improvements and Medicaid representing the most attractive valuations.

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Truist

Buy

maintain

$310 -> $320

2026-01-05

Reason

Truist

Price Target

$310 -> $320

2026-01-05

maintain

Buy

Reason

Truist raised the firm's price target on Cigna to $320 from $310 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. While there remains uncertainty around Enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credits, expectations around an extension resolution are low, and the firm's estimates assume meaningful membership contraction in Marketplace in 2026 across its coverage universe, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Truist sees an attractive Medicare margin recovery opportunity in both Individual and Group given what a conservative utilization assumptions dialed into pricing following several years of strong trend, the attractive MA rate update, and the companies' focus on margin over growth aided by targeted initiatives including benefit adjustments, pricing and footprint rationalization.

Barclays

NULL -> Overweight

maintain

$300 -> $305

2026-01-05

Reason

Barclays

Price Target

$300 -> $305

2026-01-05

maintain

NULL -> Overweight

Reason

Barclays raised the firm's price target on Cigna to $305 from $300 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The firm sees managed care stocks benefiting in 2026 from the prospects of margin expansion and rotation away from artificial intelligence-related stocks toward "de-rated underperformers."

About CI

The Cigna Group is a global health company. The Company has two growth platforms: Evernorth Health Services and Cigna Healthcare. Evernorth Health Services includes its Pharmacy Benefit Services and Specialty and Care Services operating segments, which provide independent and coordinated health solutions and capabilities to enable the healthcare system to work better and help people live richer, healthier lives. Cigna Healthcare includes the U.S. Healthcare and International Health operating segments, which provide comprehensive medical plan services and coordinated solutions to clients and customers. Its Other Operations include corporate-owned life insurance (COLI), the Company's run-off operations and other non-strategic businesses. Specialty and Care Services provides specialty drugs for the treatment of complex and rare diseases, specialty distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, and clinical programs to help its clients.

About the author

Emily J. Thompson

Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.