NEW YORK, Feb 13, 2026, 12:01 EST — Regular session on tap
- UnitedHealth shares moved up in midday trade, with investors showing a preference for healthcare.
- Managed-care stocks tracked each other, reacting to renewed warnings tied to Medicare Advantage plan ratings.
- The next major swing factor: U.S. policy signals on 2027 reimbursement.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated shares edged higher, gaining roughly 1.3% to $288.14 by midday Friday. Volume was close to 4 million shares, with the stock trading between $283.41 and $291.41 earlier in the session.
Healthcare names did some heavy lifting on a choppy day for equities, bolstered by softer U.S. inflation numbers. Tech shares, though, dragged the main indexes lower. “The trend in disinflation continues,” said Michael Metcalfe, State Street Markets’ head of market strategy. Reuters
Insurers are feeling the heat after Humana on Wednesday projected 2026 profit below what Wall Street was expecting, blaming weaker “star ratings” on its Medicare Advantage plans and the resulting drop in government bonus payments. Medicare Advantage offers a private alternative to traditional Medicare for older Americans. “The big increase in membership looks likely to cut into margins further than the market was anticipating,” Morningstar analyst Julie Utterback said. Reuters
Friday saw other managed-care stocks in the green. Humana picked up roughly 1.7%. Elevance notched a 2.3% advance, while Cigna climbed 1.5%. CVS Health edged up by 0.8%.
UnitedHealth stands as the sector heavyweight—investors frequently turn to it as a proxy for tracking margin trends in government-backed plans.
UnitedHealth reported in late January that 2025 revenue climbed 12% to $447.6 billion and projected revenue for 2026 at over $439.0 billion. The company also maintained adjusted earnings guidance above $17.75 a share.
The company pointed to persistently elevated medical costs, noting its medical care ratio will climb to 88.9% in 2025. That percentage, which tracks the share of premiums funneled into medical care, is forecast at roughly 88.8% for 2026 as UnitedHealth adjusts pricing—Medicaid included. The sector took a blow back in late January, after CMS floated a 0.09% average increase for 2027 Medicare Advantage rates.
Still, a lot hinges on Washington’s reimbursement formulas—and whether demand for medical care actually eases. If claims keep running high, insurers could feel the pinch on earnings fast, regardless of any defensive buying in the stock.
UnitedHealth caught a bounce on Friday, putting fresh pressure on investors to decide whether to step in and buy managed care names before the upcoming Medicare Advantage rate call.
Comments on CMS’s 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D payment proposal are open until Feb. 25, with the agency planning to release the final rates by April 6.
