New York, February 25, 2026, 12:39 (EST) — Regular session
- UnitedHealth shares rose about 2.8% in midday trade, clawing back part of a two-session slide.
- The insurer declared a $2.21-per-share quarterly dividend, payable March 17, with a March 9 record date.
- A new SEC filing showed the board tightened stock option terms for chair and CEO Stephen Hemsley.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE: UNH) shares were up 2.75% at $281.50 by 12:11 p.m. ET on Wednesday, after closing at $273.95 in the prior session. The stock remained down about 14.7% year-to-date and roughly 40% over the last 12 months. (Finviz)
The move mattered for the broader market because UnitedHealth is one of the heaviest weights in the price‑weighted Dow, where a modest swing can carry the index. UnitedHealth and Visa were among the biggest point contributors to the Dow’s morning rise, MarketWatch reported. (MarketWatch)
Stocks broadly were firmer as investors positioned ahead of Nvidia results later on Wednesday, pushing the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to two‑week highs earlier in the session, Reuters reported. (Reuters)
UnitedHealth said its board authorized a cash dividend of $2.21 per share, payable on March 17 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 9. (UnitedHealth Group)
Separately, a Form 8‑K filing showed the company amended a stock option granted to Stephen Hemsley, adding what amounts to a longer lockup on any net shares he receives when he exercises it. The filing said the option has a three‑year “cliff” vesting (it vests all at once after three years) and now requires him to hold net shares until May 14, 2030, except in the event of death or disability. (SEC)
UnitedHealth’s rebound followed weakness across managed-care names earlier in the week. Humana fell 3.6% on Tuesday and Elevance slipped 2.6% as UnitedHealth ended that session down nearly 3%, according to MarketWatch. (MarketWatch)
The sector has been jumpy since late January, when a U.S. Medicare Advantage payment proposal for 2027 rattled insurers and forced investors back onto the question of how fast earnings can grow. James Harlow, senior vice president at Novare Capital Management, said at the time the Medicare proposal “starts to bring in worries about 2027 earnings growth.” (Reuters)
Still, Wednesday’s catalysts were the kind that can fade fast. A steady dividend and a tighter executive holding rule do not resolve the bigger debate around medical-cost trends, Medicare Advantage margins and how much pricing power insurers have left.
Traders will watch whether the stock can hold its rebound into the close, with the wider market focused on Nvidia’s results. For UnitedHealth itself, the next hard date on the calendar is March 9, the shareholder record date for the dividend, ahead of the March 17 payout.
