UnitedHealth Group raises 2026 guidance after Q3 earnings beat
Revenue came in at $112.69bn, above the $112.52bn Wall Street had expected
Published
Chart: UNH, one-minute prices, three sessions
UnitedHealth Group reported third-quarter earnings of $4.69 a share, $0.55 above the $4.14 Wall Street had expected, according to estimates compiled by TipRanks. Revenue was $112.69bn, versus the $112.52bn analysts had forecast.
The company raised its full-year 2026 guidance for the second time since July. It now expects adjusted earnings of at least $20.50 a share, up from the $19.50 to $20.00 range it set after second-quarter results. GAAP guidance rises to at least $19.50 a share. UnitedHealth entered the year guiding to adjusted earnings above $17.75 a share, lifted that to above $18.25 after the first quarter, then to $19.50-$20.00 after the second.
The quarter lands on a sector already watching Medicare Advantage closely.
UnitedHealth is the largest Medicare Advantage carrier, and its willingness to raise both GAAP and adjusted guidance suggests the cost and utilization pressures that forced it to cut guidance earlier this year are easing faster than peers had signaled. A credible upward revision from the industry's biggest player reads as evidence that pricing and risk-adjustment resets are taking hold across Medicare Advantage, not just at one company.