UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) has announced that its next quarterly dividend will be paid on December 18, 2025.

Shareholders of record as of December 8 will receive a cash payout of $2.21 per share, a figure unchanged from the previous dividend issued on September 23.

The health insurance company’s current annual dividend yield sits at 2.7% with a 49.99% payout ratio, based on its $327.45 share price. This is notably higher than the sector’s average yield of 1.58%.

For investors owning 100 shares, this equates to a $221 payout in December and $884 annually. 

UnitedHealth stock outlook

Trading at $327.45 at the time of writing, UnitedHealth stock has been on a steep decline this year, its shares plunging 35% since January as leadership shifted and the company came under multiple Department of Justice investigations for its billing practices. 

However, there are now signs of potential recovery. For instance, the health care giant reported stronger-than-expected earnings last month, generating $113.2 billion in revenue, up 12% year-over-year, while adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached $2.92, topping Wall Street’s estimate by $0.13. 

The company’s medical care ratio, a key profitability metric, landed at 89.9%, aligning with expectations but well above the industry norm of around 80%. Accordingly, the management lifted its full-year EPS forecast to at least $16.25, up from $16.0. 

Still, even after a modest rebound, UnitedHealth’s shares remain roughly 50% below their 52-week high of $630. What’s more, the stock trades at a forward P/E ratio of about 20, slightly below the S&P 500’s average of 22, potentially limiting near-term upside.

In short, UnitedHealth may not have fully recovered from this year’s downtrend, but its long-term trajectory could be strong given the solid revenue, with Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Wayne DeVeydt arguing on the November 11 UBS Global Healthcare Conference that new rebound initiatives will fully pay off by 2027.

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