Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH), and it’s something market players shouldn’t ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in UNH usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga’s options scanner highlighted 16 extraordinary options activities for UnitedHealth Group. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 31% leaning bullish and 37% bearish. Among these notable options, 7 are puts, totaling $293,995, and 9 are calls, amounting to $410,062.
Expected Price Movements
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $260.0 to $450.0 for UnitedHealth Group over the last 3 months.
Insights into Volume & Open Interest
In today’s trading context, the average open interest for options of UnitedHealth Group stands at 2848.93, with a total volume reaching 891.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in UnitedHealth Group, situated within the strike price corridor from $260.0 to $450.0, throughout the last 30 days.
UnitedHealth Group Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Significant Options Trades Detected:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNH | CALL | TRADE | BEARISH | 02/20/26 | $19.9 | $19.45 | $19.45 | $330.00 | $155.6K | 2.3K | 26 |
| UNH | PUT | TRADE | BEARISH | 01/16/26 | $4.4 | $3.65 | $4.3 | $335.00 | $79.9K | 2.1K | 281 |
| UNH | PUT | TRADE | BEARISH | 01/21/28 | $138.45 | $129.0 | $135.0 | $450.00 | $67.5K | 15 | 5 |
| UNH | CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 02/20/26 | $9.7 | $9.4 | $9.7 | $350.00 | $38.8K | 3.9K | 52 |
| UNH | PUT | TRADE | BULLISH | 07/17/26 | $37.45 | $36.35 | $36.35 | $340.00 | $36.3K | 617 | 10 |
About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest private health insurers and provides medical benefits to about 51 million members globally, including 1 million outside the US as of December 2024. As a leader in employer-sponsored, self-directed, and government-backed insurance plans, UnitedHealth has obtained massive scale in medical insurance. Along with its insurance assets, UnitedHealth’s Optum franchises help create a healthcare services colossus that spans everything from pharmaceutical benefits to providing outpatient care and analytics to both affiliated and third-party customers.
Where Is UnitedHealth Group Standing Right Now?
- With a trading volume of 1,222,644, the price of UNH is down by -1.39%, reaching $334.24.
- Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.
- Next earnings report is scheduled for 11 days from now.
Expert Opinions on UnitedHealth Group
A total of 1 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $391.0.
- Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Barclays keeps a Overweight rating on UnitedHealth Group with a target price of $391.
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
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