UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) stock has flashed a major bullish technical signal, forming its first golden cross since July 2024.
Indeed, this formation comes as a relief, considering UNH stock remains deeply scarred by a brutal earnings-driven collapse.
The signal emerged in late January 2026, when the 50-day moving average (MA) crossed above the 200-day moving average, signaling improving short-term momentum after months of heavy selling.
Notably, the gold cross follows a near-historic drawdown, with UnitedHealth trading around $287, down from 2024 highs above $550, representing a peak-to-trough decline of roughly 48%.
While losses mounted through 2025, the sharpest leg lower came in January 2026 after the company’s Q4 2025 earnings and weaker 2026 outlook. To this end, UNH plunged by about 20% in a single day trading.
For most of 2025, the 50-day moving average stayed below the 200-day line, signaling sustained bearish control, but the recent crossover indicates easing downside momentum and the potential start of base-building, even as price remains well below prior highs.
UNH stock crash
UnitedHealth has tapered lower since the recent breakdown, and the $330–$350 zone, where the earnings-driven selloff began, remains a key resistance that must be reclaimed to signal a durable trend reversal.
It’s worth noting that UnitedHealth posted Q4 2025 revenue of $113.2 billion, missing expectations of about $113.7 billion by roughly $530 million.
Although adjusted EPS of $2.11 met forecasts, investors focused on the underlying weakness rather than the headline result.
The bigger blow came from 2026 guidance, with the company projecting revenue above $439 billion, well below consensus near $454 billion.
This implies a rare year-over-year decline from 2025 revenue of about $447.6 billion, breaking the market’s long-held growth assumptions.
At the same time, the earnings disappointment also collided with a critical technical level. At the start of 2026, UnitedHealth shares rallied into the $330–$340 range, testing the 200-day moving average near $329.
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