UNH vs CVS: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated vs CVS Health Corporation Stock Comparison [2026]

📊 Data as of June 24, 2026 · Refreshed weekly

A head-to-head, data-driven comparison of UNH (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated) and CVS (CVS Health Corporation) — covering valuation, growth, dividends, risk, and which one fits your portfolio. All metrics pulled from live market data.

If you're choosing between UNH and CVS, the answer depends on what kind of investor you are. Both are watched closely in the Healthcare sector, but they look different on almost every metric that matters: P/E, growth rate, dividend, balance-sheet quality, and volatility.

Below we break down the head-to-head numbers, name a winner on each dimension, and give a clear recommendation by investor type. Want to run this comparison live with charts and 50+ metrics? Use the free interactive UNH vs CVS comparison tool.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH)

Healthcare · Medical - Healthcare Plans · NYSE

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs for preventive and acute health care services, as well as services dealing with chronic disease and other speci…

CVS Health Corporation (CVS)

Healthcare · Medical - Healthcare Plans · NYSE

CVS Health Corporation provides health services in the United States. The company's Health Care Benefits segment offers traditional, voluntary, and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services. It serves employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups, and expatriates. Its Pharmacy Services segment offers pharmacy benefit management solutions, including plan design and administration, formulary management, retail pharmacy network management, mail o…

Quick Verdict

Better for Growth

CVS

revenue 0.00% and EPS 0.00% YoY outpace the other name

Better for Value

Tie

both trade at similar earnings multiples

Better for Income

UNH

2.64% yield vs the other name's lower payout

Better for Safety

UNH

beta 0.43 and D/E 0.00 make it the more defensive name

How to Read This UNH vs CVS Comparison

Stock comparisons can be misleading if you focus on a single metric. A "cheaper" P/E doesn't automatically make a stock a better buy — slower-growing companies should trade at lower multiples. The right framework is to score each name on four independent dimensions and weight them according to your investing goal.

The Four-Dimension Framework

Growth — How fast is the business expanding? We look at year-over-year revenue and EPS growth. Faster growers earn premium multiples but carry execution risk.
Value — Are you paying a fair price? P/E, P/B, EV/EBITDA, and free cash flow yield tell you what the market is charging per dollar of business performance.
Income — Does the stock pay you to wait? Dividend yield, payout ratio, and dividend history matter for retirees, FIRE investors, and anyone funding ongoing expenses.
Safety — How much can you lose if things go wrong? Low beta, manageable debt-to-equity, and high ROE indicate a more durable business.

No single stock wins on all four. UNH and CVS likely each lead on at least one dimension. The "right" answer is the one that matches your portfolio gap — if you already own a basket of high-growth tech, the cheaper, lower-volatility name probably adds more diversification value than another momentum bet.

Side-by-Side Metrics: UNH vs CVS

Metric	UNH	CVS
Price	$331.83	$86.86
Market Cap	$300.58B	—
P/E Ratio (lower is cheaper)	0.00	0.00
EPS	$0.00	$0.00
Dividend Yield	2.64%	0.00%
Beta (volatility vs market)	0.43	0.59
ROE (higher is better)	0.00%	0.00%
Debt/Equity (lower is safer)	0.00	0.00
Revenue Growth (YoY)	11.81%	0.00%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-15.41%	0.00%
52-Week High	$606.36	$0.00
52-Week Low	$234.60	$0.00
Sector	Healthcare	Healthcare

Which Stock Has Better Growth?

UNH grew revenue 11.81% and EPS -15.41% year-over-year. CVS grew revenue 0.00% and EPS 0.00%.

CVS wins — revenue 0.00% and EPS 0.00% YoY outpace the other name.

Which Stock Is Cheaper on Valuation?

UNH trades at a P/E of 0.00, while CVS trades at 0.00. ROE for UNH is 0.00% versus 0.00% for CVS.

Roughly tied — both trade at similar earnings multiples.

Which Stock Pays More Income?

UNH yields 2.64%; CVS yields 0.00%.

UNH wins — 2.64% yield vs the other name's lower payout.

Which Stock Is the Safer Bet?

UNH has a beta of 0.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.00. CVS sits at beta 0.59 and D/E 0.00.

UNH wins — beta 0.43 and D/E 0.00 make it the more defensive name.

Where UNH and CVS Sit in Their 52-Week Range

Price action over the last 12 months gives important context. A stock near its 52-week high has momentum on its side but limited room before profit-taking; one near its low may be a value opportunity or a structural problem.

UNH currently trades at $331.83, in the lower half of its 52-week range — could be consolidation or early-stage recovery (52-week range: $234.60–$606.36).

Key Risks for UNH and CVS

Every stock has tail risks that the headline numbers don't capture. Here's what stands out from the available metrics:

UNH: low beta of 0.43 dampens both upside and downside vs. the broader market.
CVS: low beta of 0.59 dampens both upside and downside vs. the broader market.

This is a quick heuristic risk scan, not a full risk assessment. Always read the "Risk Factors" section of each company's most recent 10-K filing before investing.

UNH vs CVS — Best Pick by Investor Type

Long-term holder (10+ years): Lean toward UNH; durability and balance-sheet strength matter more than the next-quarter print.
Income / dividend-focused: UNH — higher yield, but always check payout sustainability before chasing.
Aggressive growth: CVS — faster top-line and EPS expansion at the cost of richer multiples.
Value-oriented: either name works — paying less per dollar of earnings, with the trade-off of slower growth.

The Bottom Line: UNH vs CVS

On balance, UNH wins on 2 of 4 dimensions, making it the slightly better all-around pick for a generalist investor.

If you're the kind of investor who hates picking, the easiest answer is to own both names in equal weight inside a sector basket and rebalance once a year. That way, you capture the winner without having to predict it, and you pay the lowest possible behavioral cost (no second-guessing, no FOMO).

If you must pick one, anchor on the dimension that fixes your biggest portfolio gap — not the one with the most exciting headline. Tilting toward defensive names when you already own three growth winners adds more risk-adjusted return than another momentum bet.

Metrics Glossary — What Each Number Means

If you're new to fundamental analysis, here's a plain-English reference for every metric in the table above:

P/E Ratio (Price-to-Earnings): Share price divided by earnings per share. Tells you how many years of current earnings the stock costs. Lower = cheaper, but slow growers should have lower P/Es.
EPS (Earnings Per Share): Net income divided by shares outstanding. The per-share slice of company profits.
Market Cap: Share price × shares outstanding. The market's total valuation of the company's equity.
Dividend Yield: Annual dividend per share ÷ current price, expressed as a percent. A 3% yield means you receive $3 per year for every $100 invested at today's price.
Beta: Volatility relative to the broader market (S&P 500 = 1.0). Beta of 1.5 means the stock historically moves 1.5× the market, both up and down.
ROE (Return on Equity): Net income ÷ shareholder equity. How efficiently the company turns equity capital into profit. Above 15% is generally considered high quality.
Debt-to-Equity: Total debt ÷ shareholder equity. Lower ratios mean less leverage and lower interest-rate risk.
Revenue Growth (YoY): Percentage change in revenue versus the year-ago period. The single best top-line health check.
EPS Growth (YoY): Same comparison but for earnings per share — captures both revenue growth and operating leverage.
52-Week High / Low: The trailing 12-month price range. Useful for context on current price (e.g. a stock near its 52-week high is in an uptrend; near the low is in a downtrend or value zone).

Run a Live UNH vs CVS Comparison

The numbers above reflect the latest available data, but markets move every minute. For a real-time, interactive head-to-head with price charts (1D to YTD), all 50+ metrics, and AI-powered insights, use our free tool — it's free, no signup required, and shareable:

Compare UNH vs CVS live →

Frequently Asked Questions: Is UNH

Is UNH a better buy than CVS in 2026?

It depends on your investment goal. For growth investors, CVS has the edge — UNH grew revenue 11.81% versus 0.00% for CVS. For value investors, Both UNH and CVS are roughly comparable on this dimension looks more attractive on earnings multiples (P/E 0.00 vs 0.00). For income, UNH pays a higher yield (2.64% vs 0.00%). For safety, UNH has the more defensive profile (beta 0.43 vs 0.59).

What is the P/E ratio of UNH vs CVS?

UNH trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 0.00, while CVS trades at 0.00. A lower P/E means you pay less per dollar of current earnings — CVS is the cheaper name on this metric. However, a higher P/E often reflects faster expected growth, so don't pick on P/E alone.

Does UNH or CVS pay a higher dividend?

UNH currently yields 2.64% and CVS yields 0.00%. UNH pays the higher current yield. Always verify payout ratio and dividend history before treating yield as guaranteed income — a high yield can also be a warning sign of a falling share price.

Which stock is more volatile, UNH or CVS?

UNH has a beta of 0.43 and CVS has a beta of 0.59. A beta above 1.0 means the stock historically moves more than the broader market; below 1.0 means it moves less. CVS has been the more volatile name based on historical price action.

What is the market cap of UNH vs CVS?

UNH has a market capitalization of $300.58B and CVS is at —. Market cap is share price multiplied by shares outstanding and reflects the total equity value the market assigns to the company.

Should I buy UNH or CVS for long-term investing?

For a long-term holder (10+ years), the safer-quality name usually wins because compounding requires durability. UNH screens better on safety metrics here: lower beta, more conservative debt levels, and stronger return on equity. That said, CVS is growing faster, so a long-term investor may want both — or split allocation 60/40 toward the safer name.

Which has higher growth, UNH or CVS?

CVS is the faster grower right now. UNH grew revenue 11.81% year-over-year and EPS -15.41%; CVS grew revenue 0.00% and EPS 0.00%. UNH's slower growth often comes with a lower valuation — it's the classic growth-vs-value trade-off.

Is UNH overvalued compared to CVS?

UNH trades at a higher P/E than CVS, which can mean the market is pricing in faster expected growth. Whether that premium is justified depends on whether UNH can actually deliver the implied earnings expansion. Cross-check P/E with PEG ratio (P/E ÷ growth rate) — a PEG under 1.5 is generally considered reasonable, over 2.0 starts to look stretched.

What sector are UNH and CVS in?

UNH (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated) operates in the Healthcare sector, specifically the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. CVS (CVS Health Corporation) is in the Healthcare sector, specifically the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. Because both are in the same sector, this is a true head-to-head comparison.

How do I decide between UNH and CVS?

Start with your goal. (1) If you need income, weight the higher-yield name. (2) If you want growth, weight the faster top-line and EPS grower. (3) If you want capital preservation, weight the lower-beta, lower-debt, higher-ROE name. (4) If you're unsure, the most common professional approach is to own both in a sector basket so you don't have to predict the winner — and rebalance annually.

Disclaimer: This comparison is generated from live market data for informational purposes only. It is not investment advice, a recommendation to buy or sell any security, or a substitute for the analysis of a licensed financial advisor. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Always read the most recent 10-K and consult a qualified professional before making investment decisions. StockSignal24 is not responsible for losses incurred from trading decisions made based on this content.