UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Falls More Steeply Than Broader Market: What Investors Need to Know

In the latest trading session, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) closed at $323.62, marking a -2.2% move from the previous day. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 0.35% for the day. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.45%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.14%. Shares of the largest U.S. health insurer have appreciated by 2.07% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Medical sector's gain of 5.67%, and outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.2%.Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of UnitedHealth Group in its upcoming earnings disclosure. On that day, UnitedHealth Group is projected to report earnings of $2.07 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 69.6%. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $113.53 billion, up 12.62% from the year-ago period. For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $16.29 per share and a revenue of $447.97 billion, representing changes of -41.11% and +11.91%, respectively, from the prior year. Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for UnitedHealth Group. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability. Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system. The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 0.13% downward. UnitedHealth Group presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). Valuation is also important, so investors should note that UnitedHealth Group has a Forward P/E ratio of 20.32 right now. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 13.6. It is also worth noting that UNH currently has a PEG ratio of 2.16. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. The Medical - HMOs was holding an average PEG ratio of 1.28 at yesterday's closing price. The Medical - HMOs industry is part of the Medical sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 202, positioning it in the bottom 19% of all 250+ industries. The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1. Don't forget to use Zacks.com to keep track of all these stock-moving metrics, and others, in the upcoming trading sessions. Zacks Naming Top 10 Stocks for 2026Want to be tipped off early to our 10 top picks for the entirety of 2026? History suggests their performance could be sensational.From 2012 (when our Director of Research Sheraz Mian assumed responsibility for the portfolio) through November, 2025, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,530.8%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +570.3%.Now Sheraz is combing through 4,400 companies to handpick the best 10 tickers to buy and hold in 2026. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these stocks when they’re released on January 5. Be First to New Top 10 Stocks >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks