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UnitedHealth Boosts Full-Year Outlook After Strong First-Quarter Performance

Adjusted earnings of $7.23 a share topped estimates as medical costs eased and OptumRx revenue rose 2%, the company said.

  • On Tuesday, UnitedHealth Group reported first-quarter results that beat Wall Street expectations, raising its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings outlook to "greater than $18.25 per share."
  • The company posted $111.72 billion in first-quarter revenue and $6.28 billion in net income, with adjusted earnings of $7.23 per share surpassing the $6.57 consensus estimate from LSEG.
  • UnitedHealth's medical benefit ratio improved to 83.9%, driven by "strong medical cost management" and reserve development, though "consistently elevated" utilization and unit cost trends partially offset gains.
  • Within its Optum division, revenue declined to $24.1 billion as the insurer exited less favorable contracts; Medicare Advantage enrollment fell by 965,000 in the quarter.
  • UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Hemsley said the company is "continuing to help simplify and modernize health care," investing in artificial intelligence as part of a turnaround strategy to restore profitability.
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Business Wire broke the news in Crystal River, United States on Monday, April 20, 2026.
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