Beyond the AI Trade: 3 Defensive Stocks Built for Stability UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) reported sharply higher second-quarter 2026 earnings and raised its full-year outlook, citing improved performance in Medicare Advantage and Optum Health, while cautioning that commercial…
dical cost trends remain elevated and are delaying margin recovery in that business. The company said adjusted earnings per share were $6.38, up from $4.08 a year earlier
Total revenue was $112 billion, which Chief Financial Officer Wayne DeVeydt said was “largely consistent” with the prior year, while operating earnings rose 55% year over year to $8 billion. – Healthcare Added 35,200 Jobs—3 Stocks Positioned to Benefit DeVeydt said the results reflected “product and portfolio actions taken over the past 12 months, along with more focused and consistent management disciplines.” The company updated its 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to a range of $19.50 to $20 per share. UnitedHealthcare Medicare Results Improve, Commercial Costs Remain Pressured Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Hemsley said UnitedHealth’s second-quarter results and revised full-year outlook show “continuing progress toward delivering more consistent and dependable performance.” He said UnitedHealthcare improved its Medicare businesses through benefit planning and design, while remaining “respectful of persistently elevated medical costs.” – The Bank of Mom and Dad Is Booming—3 Stocks to Watch UnitedHealthcare CEO Tim Noel said the company’s overall second-quarter performance exceeded expectations, driven by better results in Medicare Advantage. He said Medicare medical cost trends remain well above historical levels but are running below the company’s expectations so far in 2026.
Noel attributed the better-than-expected Medicare trend to company initiatives including benefit design, care management models and network curation, as well as prior-year development, a more favorable respiratory season and weather…