UnitedHealth (UNH), one of the prominent players in the health insurance space, is scheduled to announce its first-quarter 2026 results before the market opens on Tuesday, April 21. Wall Street analysts expect the company to report earnings per share of $6.59, representing an 8% decrease year-over-year. Meanwhile, revenue is expected to reach $109.44 billion, roughly in line with the year-ago quarter.
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It is worth noting that UnitedHealth has missed earnings estimates in two of the past eight quarters.
Analysts’ Views Ahead of UNH’s Q1 Earnings
Ahead of the print, Bernstein analyst Lance Wilkes reiterated an Outperform rating on UnitedHealth with a $411 price target. He expects a recovery across the sector as Medicare Advantage margins improve after recent pressure, along with a company-specific turnaround as UnitedHealth exits less profitable MA and Optum Health businesses. Wilkes also sees the stock as attractively valued, supported by a rebound in earnings growth over the next few years.
Also, top Morgan Stanley analyst Erin Wright has turned increasingly bullish on UnitedHealth. The five-star analyst reiterated a Buy rating with a $375 price target and named UNH her “Top Pick.” She said investor sentiment has been weak, but is starting to improve after clarity on Medicare Advantage rates.
Wright also expects better margins in the Medicare Advantage (MA) business, a recovery in Optum Health, and gradual gains from AI-led efficiencies. For Q1, she believes an in-line result should be enough to support the stock.
Options Traders Anticipate a Major Move
Using TipRanks’ Options tool, we can see what options traders are expecting from the stock immediately after its earnings report. The expected earnings move is determined by calculating the at-the-money straddle of the options closest to expiration after the earnings announcement. If this sounds complicated, don’t worry, the Options tool does this for you.
According to TipRanks’ Options Tool, options traders are expecting about a 6.12% move in either direction in UNH stock in reaction to Q1 results. This implied move is lower than UnitedHealth stock’s average post-earnings move (in absolute terms) of 12.5% over the past four quarters.
Is UnitedHealth a Good Stock to Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, UNH stock has a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 18 Buys, five Holds, and zero Sells assigned in the last three months. At $367.81, the average UnitedHealth stock price target implies a 13.30% upside potential.
