CAH vs. UNH
CAH (Cardinal Health, Inc.) and UNH (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated) are both stocks. Both are in the Healthcare sector — CAH in Medical Distribution, UNH in Healthcare Plans. Over the past 10 years, CAH returned 13.60%/yr vs 13.06%/yr for UNH. Their 0.29 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
CAH vs. UNH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CAH achieves a 12.73% return, which is significantly lower than UNH's 27.23% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with CAH having a 13.60% annualized return and UNH not far behind at 13.06%.
CAH
- 1D
- 1.30%
- 1M
- -3.73%
- 6M
- 7.54%
- YTD
- 12.73%
- 1Y
- 48.99%
- 3Y*
- 38.02%
- 5Y*
- 33.99%
- 10Y*
- 13.60%
- ALL TIME*
- 17.22%
UNH
- 1D
- -1.68%
- 1M
- -2.58%
- 6M
- 46.38%
- YTD
- 27.23%
- 1Y
- 78.95%
- 3Y*
- -4.45%
- 5Y*
- 1.88%
- 10Y*
- 13.06%
- ALL TIME*
- 22.97%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $428.94M | $526.28M | $514.73M | |
| $2.03B | $2.36B | $2.61B |
CAH vs. UNH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAH Cardinal Health, Inc. | 12.73% | 76.25% | 19.01% | 34.15% | 54.08% | -0.40% | 10.09% | 18.04% | -24.50% | -12.65% |
UNH UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | 27.23% | -33.14% | -2.41% | 0.80% | 6.94% | 45.20% | 21.25% | 20.00% | 14.52% | 39.83% |
Correlation
The correlation between CAH and UNH is 0.03, meaning there was essentially no consistent relationship between their historical price movements. Each responded to its own set of market drivers.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.03 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.15 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.27 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.32 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 1990 | 0.29 |
Over the past year, the correlation between CAH and UNH has dropped to 0.03 - well below their long-term average of 0.29, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
CAH:
$53.87B
UNH:
$376.34B
CAH:
$6.57
UNH:
$15.53
CAH:
35.02
UNH:
26.69
CAH:
0.22
UNH:
0.84
CAH:
$250.55B
UNH:
$450.13B
CAH:
$9.23B
UNH:
$101.21B
CAH:
$2.79B
UNH:
$25.76B
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Return for Risk
CAH vs. UNH — Risk / Return Rank
CAH
UNH
CAH vs. UNH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CAH | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.22 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.19 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.36 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.45 | 2.45 | 0.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.44 | 6.01 | +1.43 |
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Drawdowns
CAH vs. UNH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CAH drawdown since its inception was -61.93%, smaller than the maximum UNH drawdown of -74.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CAH and UNH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CAH | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.93% | -74.37% | +12.44% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.42% | -28.96% | +8.54% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.42% | -61.39% | +40.97% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.48% | -61.39% | +39.91% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.06% | -61.39% | +15.33% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.04% | -30.91% | +26.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.89% | -14.83% | -1.06% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.71% | 11.78% | -5.07% |
Volatility
CAH vs. UNH - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) is 6.48%, while UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) has a volatility of 7.40%. This indicates that CAH experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than UNH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CAH | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.48% | 7.40% | -0.92% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.79% | 21.69% | -0.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 30.48% | 38.68% | -8.20% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.33% | 32.06% | -6.73% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.27% | 30.31% | -1.04% |
Dividends
CAH vs. UNH - Dividend Comparison
CAH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.89%, less than UNH's 2.16% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAH Cardinal Health, Inc. | 0.89% | 0.99% | 1.28% | 1.98% | 2.57% | 3.80% | 3.62% | 3.80% | 4.24% | 3.00% | 2.41% | 1.68% |
UNH UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | 2.16% | 2.64% | 1.62% | 1.38% | 1.21% | 1.12% | 1.38% | 1.41% | 1.38% | 1.30% | 1.48% | 1.59% |
Financials
CAH vs. UNH - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Cardinal Health, Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CAH vs. UNH - Profitability Comparison
CAH - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Cardinal Health, Inc. reported a gross profit of 2.50B and revenue of 60.94B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 4.1%.
UNH - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated reported a gross profit of 36.67B and revenue of 112.03B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 32.7%.
CAH - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Cardinal Health, Inc. reported an operating income of 509.00M and revenue of 60.94B, resulting in an operating margin of 0.8%.
UNH - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated reported an operating income of 7.99B and revenue of 112.03B, resulting in an operating margin of 7.1%.
CAH - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Cardinal Health, Inc. reported a net income of 399.00M and revenue of 60.94B, resulting in a net margin of 0.7%.
UNH - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated reported a net income of 5.48B and revenue of 112.03B, resulting in a net margin of 4.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CAH and UNH have a correlation of 0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UNH has higher volatility (7.40%) compared to CAH (6.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CAH dropped -61.93% vs UNH's -74.37%.
UNH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.86 vs 1.64), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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