IHF vs. UNH
IHF (iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF) is Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Health Care Providers Index, while UNH (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IHF returned 8.88%/yr vs 13.40%/yr for UNH. A 0.79 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
IHF vs. UNH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IHF achieves a 11.55% return, which is significantly lower than UNH's 25.68% return. Over the past 10 years, IHF has underperformed UNH with an annualized return of 8.88%, while UNH has yielded a comparatively higher 13.40% annualized return.
IHF
- 1D
- 0.74%
- 1M
- 5.23%
- YTD
- 11.55%
- 6M
- 12.02%
- 1Y
- 14.30%
- 3Y*
- 2.85%
- 5Y*
- 0.85%
- 10Y*
- 8.88%
UNH
- 1D
- 0.63%
- 1M
- 5.98%
- YTD
- 25.68%
- 6M
- 27.74%
- 1Y
- 39.79%
- 3Y*
- -3.03%
- 5Y*
- 2.30%
- 10Y*
- 13.40%
IHF vs. UNH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IHF iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF | 11.55% | 0.92% | -7.90% | -1.11% | -7.11% | 24.46% | 17.67% | 22.34% | 9.56% | 25.45% |
UNH UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | 25.68% | -33.14% | -2.41% | 0.80% | 6.94% | 45.20% | 21.25% | 20.00% | 14.52% | 39.83% |
Correlation
The correlation between IHF and UNH is 0.84, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.77 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 5, 2006 | 0.79 |
The correlation between IHF and UNH has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.77 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IHF vs. UNH — Risk / Return Rank
IHF
UNH
IHF vs. UNH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF (IHF) 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.
| IHF | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.34 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.51 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.22 | -0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.73 | 1.38 | -0.65 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.68 | 3.03 | -1.34 |
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Drawdowns
IHF vs. UNH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IHF drawdown since its inception was -58.42%, smaller than the maximum UNH drawdown of -74.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IHF and UNH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IHF | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.42% | -74.37% | +15.95% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.72% | -28.96% | +9.24% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.85% | -61.39% | +31.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.85% | -61.39% | +31.54% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.23% | -61.39% | +26.16% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.44% | -31.75% | +24.31% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.64% | -14.78% | +4.14% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.51% | 13.17% | -4.66% |
Volatility
IHF vs. UNH - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF (IHF) is 5.27%, while UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) has a volatility of 7.68%. This indicates that IHF 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
| IHF | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.27% | 7.68% | -2.41% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.10% | 30.76% | -14.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.90% | 40.02% | -18.12% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.17% | 31.90% | -12.73% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.02% | 30.21% | -9.19% |
Dividends
IHF vs. UNH - Dividend Comparison
IHF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.98%, less than UNH's 2.21% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IHF iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF | 0.98% | 1.05% | 0.86% | 0.79% | 0.74% | 0.56% | 0.53% | 0.58% | 4.01% | 0.19% | 0.25% | 0.20% |
UNH UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | 2.21% | 2.64% | 1.62% | 1.38% | 1.21% | 1.12% | 1.38% | 1.41% | 1.38% | 1.30% | 1.48% | 1.59% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IHF and UNH have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UNH has higher volatility (7.68%) compared to IHF (5.27%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IHF dropped -58.42% vs UNH's -74.37%.
UNH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.00 vs 0.66), 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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