Is UnitedHealth Stock Outperforming Its Rivals?
UnitedHealth‘s (UNH) stock has significantly underperformed its peers over the past year. But how does this healthcare behemoth truly stack up against competitors CVS and Centene (CNC) as of January 30, 2026? A closer look reveals UNH’s superior scale and profitability, reflected in robust operating and free cash flow (FCF) margins, alongside an attractive P/E ratio. However, its last twelve months (LTM) revenue growth lags behind some peers, suggesting a need to monitor growth drivers amidst evolving healthcare dynamics.
- UNH’s 6.1% operating margin, highest among peers, highlights strong service mix or efficient care delivery.
- UNH’s 10.5% revenue growth, outpacing CVS but lagging CNC, indicates varying market capture in health segments.
- UNH’s stock, down 46.1% (PE 14.8) and underperforming peers, reflects market concerns on regulatory or litigation impacts.
Here’s how UnitedHealth stacks up across size, valuation, and profitability versus key peers.
| UNH | CVS | CNC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 260.0 | 94.6 | 21.3 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 435.2 | 394.1 | 185.9 |
| PE Ratio | 14.8 | 201.6 | -4.0 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | 10.5% | 6.8% | 14.9% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 6.1% | 2.7% | 0.6% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 4.0% | 1.6% | 1.8% |
| 12M Market Return | -46.1% | 36.2% | -33.0% |
For more details on UnitedHealth, read Buy or Sell UNH Stock. Below we compare UNH’s growth, margin, and valuation with peers across years
Revenue Growth Comparison
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| LTM | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNH | 10.5% | 7.7% | 14.6% | 12.7% |
| CVS | 6.8% | 4.2% | 10.9% | 10.4% |
| CNC | 14.9% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 14.7% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNH | 6.1% | 8.1% | 8.7% | 8.8% |
| CVS | 2.7% | 2.6% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| CNC | 0.6% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 2.5% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNH | 14.8 | 21.1 | 21.0 | 24.5 |
| CVS | 201.6 | 21.7 | 6.9 | 24.0 |
| CNC | -4.0 | 6.5 | 12.2 | 35.5 |
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