UnitedHealth Group will release its fourth quarter earnings report on Jan. 19, and the company is positioned to maintain the momentum it saw in the third quarter of 2021.
Six things to know:
1. In November, UnitedHealth Group issued its most updated outlook for the end of 2021, projecting $287 billion in annual revenue. The outlook included earnings per share between $17.80 and $17.95, up $0.10 on the low end.
2. In its 2021 third quarter earnings report, UnitedHealth Group saw double-digit growth across all of its portfolio. UnitedHealth Group reported $72.3 billion in quarterly revenue and $4.1 billion in net income.
3. Similarly, both UnitedHealthcare and Optum reported strong year-over-year revenue growth — 11 percent and 13.9 percent respectively.
4. UnitedHealth Group more than doubled the quarterly profits of the next highest payer in 2021's third quarter. However, it ranked third in year-over-year growth.
5. As medical loss ratios increased across the industry's largest payers, UnitedHealth Group maintained the lowest medical loss ratio in 2021's third quarter at 83 percent.
6. Investors will be watching UnitedHealth Group's Medicare Advantage outlook, especially after Humana nearly slashed its enrollment outlook in half on Jan. 6.