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Compared to Estimates, UnitedHealth (UNH) Q3 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics
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For the quarter ended September 2026, UnitedHealth Group (UNH - Free Report) reported revenue of $112.69 billion, down 0.4% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $4.69, compared to $2.92 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1.18% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $111.38 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $4.12, the EPS surprise was +13.84%.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how UnitedHealth performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Operating Statistics - Medical Care Ratio: 88.4% compared to the 90.1% average estimate based on seven analysts.
UnitedHealthcare Customer Profile - People Served - Commercial - Domestic - Fee-based: 22.18 million compared to the 22.19 million average estimate based on five analysts.
UnitedHealthcare Customer Profile - People Served - Total Commercial - Domestic: 29.76 million versus 29.53 million estimated by five analysts on average.
UnitedHealthcare Customer Profile - People Served - Community and Senior - Medicare Advantage: 7.61 million versus 7.48 million estimated by five analysts on average.
Revenues- Investment and other income: $1.08 billion compared to the $1.01 billion average estimate based on seven analysts. The reported number represents a change of -4.9% year over year.
Revenues- Services: $10.25 billion compared to the $10.22 billion average estimate based on seven analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5% year over year.
Revenues- Premiums: $87.08 billion versus $86.04 billion estimated by seven analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -2.1% change.
Revenues- Products: $14.29 billion compared to the $14.21 billion average estimate based on seven analysts. The reported number represents a change of +7.5% year over year.
Revenues- Optum Health: $22.91 billion versus $23.9 billion estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -11.5% change.
Revenues- Optum Insight: $5.47 billion versus the six-analyst average estimate of $5.4 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +11.4%.
Revenues- Optum Rx: $39.93 billion compared to the $38.71 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +0.6% year over year.
Revenues- UnitedHealthcare- Total: $86.33 billion versus $84.68 billion estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -0.9% change.
Shares of UnitedHealth have returned -1.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
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Compared to Estimates, UnitedHealth (UNH) Q3 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics
For the quarter ended September 2026, UnitedHealth Group (UNH - Free Report) reported revenue of $112.69 billion, down 0.4% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $4.69, compared to $2.92 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1.18% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $111.38 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $4.12, the EPS surprise was +13.84%.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how UnitedHealth performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:View all Key Company Metrics for UnitedHealth here>>>
Shares of UnitedHealth have returned -1.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.