Unpacking the Latest Options Trading Trends in UnitedHealth Group

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on UnitedHealth Group UNH.

And retail traders should know.

We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.

Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with UNH, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.

So how do we know what these investors just did?

Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 19 uncommon options trades for UnitedHealth Group.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 47% bullish and 52%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 6 are puts, for a total amount of $443,991, and 13 are calls, for a total amount of $1,750,242.

Projected Price Targets

After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $230.0 and $610.0 for UnitedHealth Group, spanning the last three months.

Analyzing Volume & Open Interest

In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of UnitedHealth Group stands at 884.36, with a total volume reaching 1,691.00. 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 $230.0 to $610.0, throughout the last 30 days.

UnitedHealth Group Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days

Largest Options Trades Observed:

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest private health insurers, providing medical benefits to about 53 million members globally, including 5 million outside the U.S. as of mid-2023. As a leader in employer-sponsored, self-directed, and government-backed insurance plans, UnitedHealth has obtained massive scale in managed care. Along with its insurance assets, UnitedHealth's continued investments in its Optum franchises have created a healthcare services colossus that spans everything from medical and pharmaceutical benefits to providing outpatient care and analytics to both affiliated and third-party customers.

Having examined the options trading patterns of UnitedHealth Group, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance

Where Is UnitedHealth Group Standing Right Now?

• Trading volume stands at 1,514,965, with UNH's price down by -0.01%, positioned at $534.9.
• RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching overbought.
• Earnings announcement expected in 43 days.

What Analysts Are Saying About UnitedHealth Group

4 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $568.75.

• Reflecting concerns, an analyst from RBC Capital lowers its rating to Outperform with a new price target of $596.
• Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Stephens & Co. lowers its rating to Overweight with a new price target of $585.
• Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald lowers its rating to Overweight with a new price target of $591.
• Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Jefferies keeps a Hold rating on UnitedHealth Group with a target price of $503.

Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest UnitedHealth Group options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.