NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 10:55 ET — Regular session
- UnitedHealth shares rose about 0.7% in morning trade, beating the broader market.
- Managed-care peers were mixed, with Humana and Cigna higher and Elevance slightly lower.
- Investors are looking ahead to UnitedHealth’s Jan. 27 results and 2026 outlook.
Shares of UnitedHealth Group climbed 0.7% to $332.29 in morning trading on Friday, outperforming the broader market as the first full U.S. trading session of 2026 got underway.
The move matters because UnitedHealth is heading into its late-January results with investors focused on whether the insurer can steady medical-cost trends and lay out a clearer 2026 path. The company is due to provide 2026 guidance with its full-year 2025 results later this month. 1
UnitedHealth has been under scrutiny after it commissioned outside reviews of parts of its health services and pharmacy benefit businesses, adding to investor sensitivity around costs and compliance as the new year begins. 2
The S&P 500 ETF was up about 0.3% at the same time, while the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund slipped about 0.2%, leaving UnitedHealth ahead of its sector benchmark on the day.
Within managed care, Humana rose about 1.6% and Cigna added about 0.5%, while Elevance Health edged down about 0.1%, highlighting a mixed start for the group.
UnitedHealth traded between $327.50 and $332.78 in the session so far, with volume around 1.6 million shares, according to market data.
UnitedHealth said it will report full-year 2025 financial results and provide 2026 guidance on Tuesday, Jan. 27, before the market opens, followed by an 8:00 a.m. ET conference call. 1
Macro events also sit on the near-term calendar for investors. The U.S. December jobs report is scheduled for Jan. 9, and the Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting is slated for Jan. 27-28. 3
On the earnings call, investors typically focus on medical-cost trends — often tracked through the medical care ratio, the share of premium revenue spent on medical claims — as well as membership and pricing in Medicare Advantage, the privately run version of Medicare for seniors and some people with disabilities.
In a Dec. 19 stakeholder letter cited by Reuters, CEO Stephen Hemsley said, “The work is already well underway,” after external audits that pointed to more automation and standardization across operations. 2
At the pharmacy benefit unit, Optum Rx is moving to cut reauthorizations on additional drugs and expand automated prior-authorization tools — prior authorization is the process where an insurer requires approval before covering a prescription or service. 4
For now, the stock’s early 2026 bid looks tied to positioning into the late-month catalyst and the broader market’s firmer tone, with traders watching whether UnitedHealth can avoid fresh cost surprises and deliver a steadier outlook when it reports.
