UnitedHealth Shares Drop 19.4% to $283.58

Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst

UNH-19.61%

Updated: 10h ago

0mins

UnitedHealth is down -19.4%, or -$68.06 to $283.58.

UNH

$282.7+Infinity%1D

Analyst Views on UNH

Wall Street analysts forecast UNH stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for UNH is 397.82 USD with a low forecast of 330.00 USD and a high forecast of 444.00 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.

19 Analyst Rating

16 Buy

3 Hold

0 Sell

Strong Buy

Current: 351.640

Low

330.00

Averages

397.82

High

444.00

Current: 351.640

Low

330.00

Averages

397.82

High

444.00

Morgan Stanley

Erin Wright

Overweight

downgrade

$411 -> $409

2026-01-25

New

Reason

Morgan Stanley

Erin Wright

Price Target

$411 -> $409

AI Analysis

2026-01-25

New

downgrade

Overweight

Reason

Morgan Stanley analyst Erin Wright lowered the firm's price target on UnitedHealth to $409 from $411 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares ahead of the Q4 report. The firm sees investor sentiment on the shares ramping due to UnitedHealth's "disciplined" Medicare Advantage benefit reset. It expects an inline quarter from the company with potential for 2026 guidance upside.

Bernstein

Lance Wilkes

Outperform

maintain

$440 -> $444

2026-01-06

Reason

Bernstein

Lance Wilkes

Price Target

$440 -> $444

2026-01-06

maintain

Outperform

Reason

Bernstein analyst Lance Wilkes raised the firm's price target on UnitedHealth to $444 from $440 and keeps an Outperform 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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Evercore ISI

Elizabeth Anderson

Outperform

initiated

$400

2026-01-06

Reason

Evercore ISI

Elizabeth Anderson

Price Target

$400

2026-01-06

initiated

Outperform

Reason

Evercore ISI analyst Elizabeth Anderson initiated coverage of UnitedHealth with an Outperform rating and $400 price target, which offers 20% upside. The firm believes the company's turnaround will be successful. UnitedHealth's 2026 will be a transition year, with 2027 and 2028 likely to show significant improvement, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Evercore sees upside to estimates and the stock's multiple in 2027 as UnitedHealth's "execution story becomes increasingly visible."

Barclays

Andrew Mok

Overweight

maintain

$386 -> $391

2026-01-05

Reason

Barclays

Andrew Mok

Price Target

$386 -> $391

2026-01-05

maintain

Overweight

Reason

Barclays analyst Andrew Mok raised the firm's price target on UnitedHealth to $391 from $386 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 UNH

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is a healthcare and well-being company. Its segments include Optum Health, Optum Insight, Optum Rx, and UnitedHealthcare, which includes UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual, UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement and UnitedHealthcare Community & State. Optum Health offers comprehensive and patient-centered care, addressing the physical, mental, social, and financial well-being. Optum Health delivers primary, specialty and surgical care; helps patients and providers navigate and address complex, chronic and behavioral health needs. Optum Insight connects the healthcare system with services, analytics and platforms that make clinical, administrative and financial processes simpler and more efficient for all participants in the healthcare system. Optum Rx offers a range of pharmacy care services through retail pharmacies, through home delivery, specialty and community health pharmacies and the provision of in-home and community-based infusion services.

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.