UnitedHealth Group Makes New All-Time High After Q3 EPS Beat

UnitedHealth Group Inc UNH shares are trading higher by $9.50 (4.5 percent) at $202.70 in Tuesday's session.

The catalyst for the rally is a Q3 EPS beat of 10 cents on lower revenues by only $38 million. Going back to Q2 2012, the company has beat on EPS for 22 consecutive quarters.

After a much higher open, UnitedHealth had a brief retreat to $196.37 before continuing its move higher. Once it passed its former all-time high from Sept. 13 ($200.76), the pace of the rally accelerated. The ensuing rally took the stock to $204.49, but has fallen back into the $202.00 handle.

In order to post a new all-time closing high, it must end the session above its Oct. 4 close of $200.48.