UNH vs. CVS
UNH (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated) and CVS (CVS Health Corporation) are both stocks. Both operate in the Healthcare Plans industry within the Healthcare sector. Over the past 10 years, UNH returned 13.40%/yr vs 3.97%/yr for CVS. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
UNH vs. CVS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UNH achieves a 25.68% return, which is significantly lower than CVS's 30.17% return. Over the past 10 years, UNH has outperformed CVS with an annualized return of 13.40%, while CVS has yielded a comparatively lower 3.97% annualized return.
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%
CVS
- 1D
- 0.27%
- 1M
- 8.91%
- YTD
- 30.17%
- 6M
- 32.37%
- 1Y
- 57.59%
- 3Y*
- 17.92%
- 5Y*
- 7.43%
- 10Y*
- 3.97%
UNH vs. CVS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UNH UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | 25.68% | -33.14% | -2.41% | 0.80% | 6.94% | 45.20% | 21.25% | 20.00% | 14.52% | 39.83% |
CVS CVS Health Corporation | 30.17% | 84.35% | -40.77% | -12.53% | -7.63% | 54.87% | -5.14% | 17.26% | -7.04% | -5.75% |
Correlation
The correlation between UNH and CVS is 0.50, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.48 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 1990 | 0.29 |
Over the past year, UNH and CVS have become more correlated (0.50) than their long-term average of 0.29, meaning their price movements have been converging.
Fundamentals
UNH:
$372.42B
CVS:
$129.91B
UNH:
$13.23
CVS:
$2.30
UNH:
30.94
CVS:
44.13
UNH:
0.83
CVS:
0.32
UNH:
3.58
CVS:
1.68
UNH:
$449.71B
CVS:
$407.91B
UNH:
$84.55B
CVS:
$56.59B
UNH:
$22.99B
CVS:
$9.99B
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Return for Risk
UNH vs. CVS — Risk / Return Rank
UNH
CVS
UNH vs. CVS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) and CVS Health Corporation (CVS). 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.
| UNH | CVS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.86 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.81 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.34 | -0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.38 | 3.52 | -2.14 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.03 | 9.05 | -6.02 |
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Drawdowns
UNH vs. CVS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UNH drawdown since its inception was -74.37%, which is greater than CVS's maximum drawdown of -64.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UNH and CVS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UNH | CVS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -74.37% | -64.07% | -10.30% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -28.96% | -16.44% | -12.52% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -61.39% | -43.98% | -17.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -61.39% | -56.79% | -4.60% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -61.39% | -56.79% | -4.60% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -31.75% | -0.38% | -31.37% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.78% | -19.53% | +4.75% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.17% | 6.38% | +6.79% |
Volatility
UNH vs. CVS - Volatility Comparison
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) and CVS Health Corporation (CVS) have volatilities of 7.68% and 7.76%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UNH | CVS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.68% | 7.76% | -0.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 30.76% | 25.91% | +4.85% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 40.02% | 31.21% | +8.81% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 31.90% | 30.01% | +1.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 30.21% | 29.34% | +0.87% |
Dividends
UNH vs. CVS - Dividend Comparison
UNH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.21%, less than CVS's 2.62% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CVS CVS Health Corporation | 2.62% | 3.35% | 5.93% | 3.06% | 2.36% | 1.94% | 2.93% | 2.69% | 3.05% | 2.76% | 2.15% | 1.43% |
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% |
Financials
UNH vs. CVS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and CVS Health Corporation. 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
UNH vs. CVS - Profitability Comparison
UNH - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated reported a gross profit of 25.41B and revenue of 111.72B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 22.7%.
CVS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, CVS Health Corporation reported a gross profit of 15.62B and revenue of 100.43B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 15.6%.
UNH - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated reported an operating income of 8.99B and revenue of 111.72B, resulting in an operating margin of 8.1%.
CVS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, CVS Health Corporation reported an operating income of 4.68B and revenue of 100.43B, resulting in an operating margin of 4.7%.
UNH - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated reported a net income of 6.28B and revenue of 111.72B, resulting in a net margin of 5.6%.
CVS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, CVS Health Corporation reported a net income of 2.94B and revenue of 100.43B, resulting in a net margin of 2.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions
UNH and CVS have a correlation of 0.50, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CVS has higher volatility (7.76%) compared to UNH (7.68%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UNH dropped -74.37% vs CVS's -64.07%.
CVS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.85 vs 1.00), 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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