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

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) had its price target dropped by equities researchers at Morgan Stanley from $411.00 to $409.00 in a research report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “overweight” rating on the healthcare conglomerate’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s target price points to a potential upside of 15.07% from the company’s previous close.

Several other research firms have also commented on UNH. KeyCorp raised their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $350.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of UnitedHealth Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $333.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $267.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 7th. TD Cowen lifted their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $335.00 to $338.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $406.00 target price for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $386.33.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of UNH stock traded up $0.97 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $355.44. The company had a trading volume of 3,755,189 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,790,447. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $331.37 and a 200-day moving average of $322.96. The company has a market capitalization of $321.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.56, a PEG ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.82. UnitedHealth Group has a 12-month low of $234.60 and a 12-month high of $606.36.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $2.92 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.87 by $0.05. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 19.23% and a net margin of 4.04%.The company had revenue of $113.16 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $113.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $7.15 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group will post 29.54 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Sagard Holdings Management Inc. acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter worth about $29,000. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC raised its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 69.4% during the 3rd quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 83 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Finally, 1248 Management LLC bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. 87.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More UnitedHealth Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho reiterated a Buy on UNH and kept a $430 price target, highlighting optimism around the Medicare Advantage 2027 advance notice as a potential tailwind. Mizuho Remains Positive on UnitedHealth
• Positive Sentiment: UNH recently outperformed the broader market in intraday moves, indicating short-term buying interest ahead of earnings. UnitedHealth Group Outperforms Broader Market
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews urge caution until the company reports Q4 results on Jan. 27 — analysts say key metrics beyond revenue/EPS (medical cost trends, MCR) will drive the next leg of the stock move. Countdown to UNH Q4 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary advises waiting for the Jan. 27 earnings release before adding exposure, reinforcing the idea that near-term volatility could continue. Don’t Buy UNH Before Jan. 27
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts warn rising medical costs and a higher medical cost ratio (MCR) could pressure margins heading into Q4 results — a direct risk to near-term earnings. Cost Pressures a Red Flag
• Negative Sentiment: UnitedHealth said it will rebate 2026 ACA plan profits, a move that could reduce near-term earnings and signal growing regulatory/cost headwinds. UNH to Rebate 2026 ACA Profits
• Negative Sentiment: Executives from UnitedHealth faced tough questions from Congress on affordability — a political/regulatory risk that can weigh on investor sentiment and future policy uncertainty. UnitedHealth and CVS Grilled by Congress
• Negative Sentiment: High-profile commentators prefer competitors (e.g., Jim Cramer favoring CVS), which can amplify short-term negative sentiment versus UNH. Cramer: Buy CVS, Not UnitedHealth

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.