Bernstein Cuts UnitedHealth (UNH) Price Target to $500

Bernstein has reiterated its Outperform rating on UnitedHealth Group, setting a price target of $500, a 24.56% upside from the current price.

By EarningsIQ Research Desk · Published Oct 16, 2026, 1:55 PM EDT · Updated Oct 16, 2026, 8:15 PM EDT

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Bernstein cut its price target on UnitedHealth Group Incorporated ($UNH) to $500 from $512 on October 16, 2026, and rates the stock "Outperform".

UNH UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

$401.43 +21.69% year to date

Daily close · Oct 16, 2026

Key Points

On October 16, 2026, Bernstein reiterated its Outperform rating on UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) and set a price target of $500, down from $512.
Bernstein's $500 price target implies 24.56% upside from UnitedHealth Group Incorporated's ($UNH) current $401.41 share price.
As of October 16, 2026, UNH was trading recently around $401.79, which is about 19.6% below Bernstein's target and 15.8% below the mean analyst target of $477.04.
JP Morgan and Piper Sandler also maintained their ratings on UNH, with targets of $524 and $504, respectively, indicating strong support from analysts.

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Bernstein has reiterated its Outperform rating on UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE: UNH) on October 16, 2026, setting a new price target of $500, down from $512. This target reflects the firm’s confidence in the company’s growth prospects despite adjusting its previous target lower.

Analyst rating track record

Bernstein vs. the S&P 500

YTD return -2.79% hypothetical

All-time return -2.79% S&P 500 +1.50%

vs. S&P 500 -4.29% behind the index

Hypothetical returns from Bernstein's disclosed trades, not real profit or advice. How we model this.

Other Institutional Activity in UnitedHealth Group

Blackrock Inc. holds 76,863,061 shares of UnitedHealth, worth about $30.9 billion, after increasing its position by 3,394,259 shares. Vanguard Capital Management LLC owns 59,311,525 shares, valued at approximately $23.8 billion, following a smaller increase of 441,525 shares. State Street Corporation has 45,633,267 shares, worth around $18.3 billion, after adding 299,205 shares. Capital World Investors increased its holdings by 2,103,297 shares, bringing its total to 29,887,932 shares valued at about $12.0 billion. FMR, LLC also significantly boosted its stake by 15,974,192 shares, now holding 27,992,995 shares valued at roughly $11.2 billion.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated Stock Up 1.5%

As of October 16, 2026, UnitedHealth shares were recently trading around $401.79, which is above its 50-day moving average by about 3.7% and its 200-day average by about 12.0%. However, the stock is about 19.6% below Bernstein's price target and 15.8% below the average analyst target of $477.04, indicating potential upside.

12-month forecast

$UNH price target

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated daily closes and this analyst's $500 target. Not advice.

Recent Earnings

UnitedHealth reported trailing twelve-month revenue of about $450.1 billion and an EPS of $15.55. The company has a net margin of 3.5% and a return on equity of 15.8%. The next earnings report is scheduled for January 26, 2027.

Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

Recently, Patrick Hugh Conway, an officer at UnitedHealth, sold 500 shares at an average price of $410 on August 5, 2026, totaling $205,000. He also sold 1,169 shares at an average price of $390 on August 21, 2026, valued at approximately $455,910.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

On October 14, 2026, Piper Sandler maintained an Overweight rating on UnitedHealth with a price target of $504, up from $502. Barclays also maintained an Overweight rating but adjusted its target slightly down to $440 from $441. On October 15, TD Cowen reiterated a Hold rating with a target of $402, while JP Morgan maintained its Overweight rating, raising its target to $524 from $516.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a healthcare company, providing a range of services through its segments, including Optum Health and UnitedHealthcare. The company engages in care delivery, wellness services, and healthcare management, serving patients, employers, and public entities.

Bottom Line

Investors should keep an eye on upcoming earnings on January 26, 2027, and any further analyst updates. Bernstein's latest rating and target adjustment highlight the ongoing interest in UnitedHealth amid fluctuating market conditions.