Should I Buy UNH? UNH 2026 Analysis

Should You Buy UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.

Conclusion

Hold

Latest Price

294.020

1 Day change

4.00%

52 Week Range

606.360

Analysis Updated At

2026/01/26

UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH) is not a strong buy for a beginner, long-term investor at this time. Despite positive analyst ratings and long-term growth potential, the company's recent financial performance shows significant declines in profitability and EPS. Additionally, Congress trading data indicates a cautious sentiment, with no recent purchases and multiple sales. The technical indicators are moderately positive, but the lack of strong proprietary trading signals and the current pre-market price decline suggest waiting for a clearer entry point.

Technical Analysis

The MACD is positive and expanding, indicating bullish momentum. The RSI is neutral at 73.111, and moving averages are bullish (SMA_5 > SMA_20 > SMA_200). Key resistance is at 354.116, with support at 330.151. However, the pre-market price is slightly declining (-0.59%), and the stock shows limited short-term upside potential based on historical patterns.

Options Data

Bullish

Open Interest Put-Call Ratio

Bullish

Option Volume Put-Call Ratio

Technical Summary

Sell

Buy

Positive Catalysts

The company's revenue growth in Q3 2025 was strong at 12.24% YoY.

Neutral/Negative Catalysts

Net income and EPS dropped significantly in Q3 2025 (-61.22% and -60.22% YoY, respectively). Congress members sold shares recently, indicating cautious sentiment. The company's 2025 earnings forecast highlights declining profitability, which may weigh on investor confidence.

Financial Performance

In Q3 2025, revenue increased by 12.24% YoY to $113.16 billion. However, net income dropped by 61.22% YoY to $2.35 billion, and EPS fell by 60.22% YoY to $2.59. Gross margin remained unchanged.

Growth

Profitability

Efficiency

Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends

Analysts are generally positive, with multiple firms raising price targets (e.g., Bernstein to $444, Evercore to $400, Barclays to $391). They expect margin recovery and significant improvement in 2027-2028. However, some analysts note that 2026 will be a transition year with modest EPS growth.

19 Analyst Rating

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 USD and a high forecast of 444 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.

16 Buy

3 Hold

0 Sell

Strong Buy

Current: 282.700

Low

330

Averages

397.82

High

444

Current: 282.700

Low

330

Averages

397.82

High

444

Leerink

Outperform

downgrade

$410 -> $345

AI Analysis

2026-01-28

New

Reason

Leerink

Price Target

$410 -> $345

AI Analysis

2026-01-28

New

downgrade

Outperform

Reason

Leerink lowered the firm's price target on UnitedHealth to $345 from $410 and keeps an Outperform rating on the shares. The company's Q4 results included a continuation of elevated cost trends, a shortfall in Optum Health, and guidance that is "underwritten with a number of believable assumptions," the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm views the selloff in shares yesterday as likely "overly harsh" versus the final Medicare Advantage rates that will come in April.

BofA

Neutral

downgrade

$360 -> $315

2026-01-28

New

Reason

BofA

Price Target

$360 -> $315

2026-01-28

New

downgrade

Neutral

Reason

BofA lowered the firm's price target on UnitedHealth to $315 from $360 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares. UnitedHealth has done "an admirable job" re-focusing the business and exiting contracts and geographies aggressively where it does not expect to earn a profit under V28 in 2026, but the CMS 2027 rate notice may now dictate additional contract and geographies exits in 2027 and there is risk of additional rate pressure in future years, the analyst tells investors.

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UNH Should I Buy

UNH Should I Buy

Should You Buy UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.

Technical Analysis

Options Data

Technical Summary

Positive Catalysts

Neutral/Negative Catalysts

Financial Performance

Growth

Profitability

Efficiency

Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends

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