What Would It Take For Rising Medical Costs To Break UnitedHealth Stock?

UnitedHealth Group (UNH) stock trades at 25.6 times its earnings over the last twelve months. That valuation represents a premium against 22.9 for the S&P 500, suggesting investors are betting on a profit recovery. On October 13, 2026, the company raised its guidance for the full year. During the earnings call that day, executives warned that cost trends for commercial benefits are exceeding initial expectations of 11%. They cited high-cost specialty drugs and the No Surprises Act. So how much p