VCEL vs. UNH
VCEL (Vericel Corporation) and UNH (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated) are both stocks. Both are in the Healthcare sector — VCEL in Biotechnology, UNH in Healthcare Plans. Over the past 10 years, VCEL returned 35.21%/yr vs 13.06%/yr for UNH. Their 0.11 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
VCEL vs. UNH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with VCEL having a 27.63% return and UNH slightly lower at 27.23%. Over the past 10 years, VCEL has outperformed UNH with an annualized return of 35.21%, while UNH has yielded a comparatively lower 13.06% annualized return.
VCEL
- 1D
- -3.47%
- 1M
- -2.17%
- 6M
- 27.74%
- YTD
- 27.63%
- 1Y
- 28.99%
- 3Y*
- 9.38%
- 5Y*
- -2.79%
- 10Y*
- 35.21%
- ALL TIME*
- -10.26%
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2.03B | $2.36B | $2.61B | |
| $25.08M | $24.07M | $25.61M |
VCEL vs. UNH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCEL Vericel Corporation | 27.63% | -34.42% | 54.20% | 35.19% | -32.98% | 27.27% | 77.47% | 0.00% | 219.27% | 81.67% |
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 VCEL and UNH is 0.17, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.17 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.13 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.18 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.18 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 4, 1997 | 0.11 |
Fundamentals
VCEL:
$2.35B
UNH:
$376.34B
VCEL:
$0.47
UNH:
$15.53
VCEL:
97.57
UNH:
26.69
VCEL:
7.72
UNH:
0.84
VCEL:
6.33
UNH:
3.59
VCEL:
$306.30M
UNH:
$450.13B
VCEL:
$228.38M
UNH:
$101.21B
VCEL:
$38.45M
UNH:
$25.76B
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Return for Risk
VCEL vs. UNH — Risk / Return Rank
VCEL
UNH
VCEL vs. UNH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vericel Corporation (VCEL) 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.
| VCEL | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.17 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.11 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.36 | -0.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.02 | 2.45 | -1.43 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.27 | 6.01 | -3.74 |
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Drawdowns
VCEL vs. UNH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VCEL drawdown since its inception was -99.88%, which is greater than UNH's maximum drawdown of -74.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCEL and UNH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VCEL | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -99.88% | -74.37% | -25.51% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -31.03% | -28.96% | -2.07% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -52.52% | -61.39% | +8.87% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -70.46% | -61.39% | -9.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -73.97% | -61.39% | -12.58% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -96.74% | -30.91% | -65.83% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -89.89% | -14.83% | -75.06% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.96% | 11.78% | +2.18% |
Volatility
VCEL vs. UNH - Volatility Comparison
Vericel Corporation (VCEL) has a higher volatility of 10.15% compared to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) at 7.40%. This indicates that VCEL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| VCEL | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.15% | 7.40% | +2.75% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 30.27% | 21.69% | +8.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 47.94% | 38.68% | +9.26% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 52.75% | 32.06% | +20.69% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 63.04% | 30.31% | +32.73% |
Dividends
VCEL vs. UNH - Dividend Comparison
VCEL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while UNH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.16%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
VCEL Vericel Corporation | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
VCEL vs. UNH - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Vericel Corporation 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
VCEL vs. UNH - Profitability Comparison
VCEL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Vericel Corporation reported a gross profit of 56.40M and revenue of 77.46M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 72.8%.
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%.
VCEL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Vericel Corporation reported an operating income of 434.00K and revenue of 77.46M, resulting in an operating margin of 0.6%.
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%.
VCEL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Vericel Corporation reported a net income of 2.21M and revenue of 77.46M, resulting in a net margin of 2.9%.
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
VCEL and UNH have a correlation of 0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VCEL has higher volatility (10.15%) compared to UNH (7.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCEL dropped -99.88% vs UNH's -74.37%.
UNH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.86 vs 0.69), 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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