UNH Earnings Predictions — 2026-07-16

Ticker Report or Guide KPI Prediction Answer Confidence
UNH Report Adjusted EPS (Q2 2026) BEAT pred ~$4.92 vs. cons $4.84 MEDIUM
UNH Report Consolidated Medical Care Ratio (Q2 2026) BEAT pred ~88.0% MCR vs. cons 88.5% (lower = better) MEDIUM
UNH Report Total Revenue (Q2 2026) IN-LINE pred ~$111.0B vs. cons $110.7B HIGH
UNH Guide FY2026 Adjusted EPS guide BETTER guide ~$18.50 vs. cons ~$18.40 (FY2026) MEDIUM
UNH Guide FY2026 full-year MCR guide UNCHANGED guide ~87.5% vs. cons ~87.6% (FY2026) MEDIUM
UNH Guide MA medical cost trend vs pricing commentary BETTER guide trend ~8% at/below repriced ~10% pricing vs. cons ~10% (FY2026) LOW
UNH Guide Optum Health FY margin trajectory UNCHANGED guide ~5% 2026 toward 6-8% LT vs. cons ~5% (FY2026/2027) LOW
UNH Return Day-1 residual (stock − beta × S&P 500) +3.5% MEDIUM
UNH Return 5-day cumulative residual +2.0% (FADE) A guidance-implied H1 run-rate above the $4.84 Street bar plus a modest into-print pullback (from ~$431 to $418.56) tilt day-1 positive on a clean EPS/MCR beat and likely reaffirm-or-small-raise. But out-period math caps follow-through: management's own framework loads H2 MCR >200bps above the midpoint and front-loads earnings (~2/3 in H1), so a Q2 beat mechanically implies a heavier, lower-margin back half — analysts trim H2 even as they nudge H1, keeping FY revisions muted. Add unquantified overhangs (DOJ/RADV, 2027 MA margin, Medicaid negative margins) and a stock up ~75% off the trough, and the initial pop partially gives back over the week. LOW