UnitedHealth Group posted $6.28 billion in profit for the first quarter of 2026, dipping slightly compared to the same period last year.
The company released first-quarter earnings April 21, raising the full-year outlook to more than
$17.35 per share and adjusted earnings surpassing $18.25 per share.
Here are nine notes about UnitedHealth Group and its subsidiaries:
UnitedHealth Group
1. Revenue was $111.7 billion for the three months ended March 31, up 2% year over year.
2. The medical cost ratio reached 83.9%, 90 basis points lower than Q1 of 2025.
UnitedHealthcare
3. Revenue reached $86.3 billion, up 2% year over year.
4. Earnings from operations were $5.7 billion, a 9% increase year over year, with an operating margin of 6.6% compared to 6.2% Q1 of 2025. The margin difference was attributable to repricing resulting from elevated cost trends, the release said.
5. Total commercial, Medicaid and Medicare memberships were 30 million, 7.2 million and 7.6 million, respectively. Medical membership overall was 49 million.
6. Days claims payable were 48.6, versus 44.1 in Q4 2025 and 45.5 at the same time last year.
Optum
7. Revenue dipped 0.3% compared to Q1 2025, declining to $63.7 billion.
8. Earnings from operations decreased 15% year over year, falling to $3.3 billion.
9. Optum Health revenue was $24.1 billion, decreasing 3% year over year due to a decline in value-based care membership.
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