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CVS vs UNH
Which Stock Would AI Choose? CVS Health (CVS) vs. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- CVS Health (CVS) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) both operate in the healthcare sector but differ in business models, with CVS emphasizing pharmacy services and retail alongside insurance, while UNH focuses on managed care and health services through Optum.
- In recent market activity, both stocks have shown resilience, with CVS trading near $104 and UNH near $414 as of late July 2026, reflecting year-to-date gains amid sector recovery.
- CVS benefited from improved Aetna performance and raised full-year guidance following strong first-quarter 2026 results, while UNH reported robust second-quarter earnings with margin expansion and raised 2026 outlook.
- Sector exposure includes managed care and pharmacy benefits for both, though UNH carries greater scale in government-sponsored programs and UNH exhibits stronger recent earnings momentum.
- Risk factors for CVS include medical cost trends and retail pharmacy pressures, whereas UNH faces regulatory scrutiny in Medicare Advantage and premium adjustments.
- Market sentiment remains constructive for both following earnings beats, with analysts adjusting targets upward amid stabilizing cost controls.
Introduction
CVS Health (CVS) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) represent prominent players in the U.S. healthcare industry, making them relevant for investors seeking exposure to managed care, pharmacy benefits, and integrated health services. This comparison examines their business profiles, recent stock performance, and relative positioning in the current market environment. Traders and long-term investors monitoring healthcare sector dynamics, earnings trends, and cost management may find this analysis useful for evaluating diversification opportunities or relative value within the space.
CVS Overview and Recent Performance
CVS Health (CVS) operates as a diversified healthcare company with pharmacy services, retail clinics, and insurance operations through its Aetna subsidiary. In recent weeks, the stock has traded in a range near recent highs, closing at approximately $104.43 on July 31, 2026, within a 52-week span of roughly $61 to $110.68. Performance has been supported by strong first-quarter 2026 results that included revenue growth and raised full-year earnings guidance, driven by better medical cost controls in government plans and contributions from pharmacy management. Sentiment has improved following these developments, with the company highlighting progress in its GLP-1 weight-loss drug programs available across most states. Broader market activity reflects investor focus on upcoming second-quarter earnings scheduled for early August 2026.
UNH Overview and Recent Performance
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) is a leading diversified health and well-being company, primarily through its UnitedHealthcare insurance segment and Optum health services platform. As of July 31, 2026, shares closed near $414.40, within a 52-week range extending from about $234.60 to $461.62, after notable year-to-date appreciation. Recent market activity has been positive following second-quarter 2026 results released in mid-July, which featured revenue near consensus levels, significant adjusted earnings per share growth, margin expansion, and a lower medical care ratio. The company raised its full-year 2026 earnings outlook, contributing to upward revisions in analyst price targets. Sentiment has reflected optimism around cost management and operational improvements amid ongoing sector challenges.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
CVS Health (CVS) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) contrast in scale and focus: UNH operates with larger revenue from insurance premiums and diversified services via Optum, while CVS integrates retail pharmacy with benefits management. Growth drivers for CVS center on pharmacy utilization and Aetna recovery, whereas UNH benefits from Optum expansion and enrollment trends. Recent momentum favors UNH following its July earnings release and guidance raise, compared with CVS’s earlier May update. Risk factors include CVS’s exposure to retail margins and UNH’s sensitivity to Medicare reimbursement changes. Both carry sector exposure to healthcare policy and medical cost inflation, yet UNH’s broader platform may offer more stability in volatile periods. Market sentiment has turned constructive for each after demonstrated cost discipline, presenting trade-offs between CVS’s diversified retail-insurance mix and UNH’s integrated services depth.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as recent earnings consistency, margin trends, and relative positioning after second-quarter results, Tickeron’s AI would currently assign a higher probability of favor to UnitedHealth Group (UNH) over CVS Health (CVS). UNH’s demonstrated earnings beat and raised outlook suggest stronger near-term trend stability, though both stocks remain subject to sector-wide variables including regulatory developments and cost pressures.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is CVS is a Buy and UNH is a StrongBuy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
CVS’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green whileUNH’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- CVS’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- UNH’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
CVS’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while UNH’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CVS’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
- UNH’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
CVS (@Managed Health Care) experienced а -3.07% price change this week, while UNH (@Managed Health Care) price change was -1.51% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Managed Health Care industry was -2.68%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -9.13%, and the average quarterly price growth was +40.99%.
Reported Earning Dates
CVS is expected to report earnings on Aug 05, 2026.
UNH is expected to report earnings on Oct 09, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Managed Health Care (-2.68% weekly)Managed healthcare industry focuses on providing health/medical and disability insurance plans, generally intended to reduce the cost of for-profit health care. The insurance products might be provided through employer-paid (fully or partly) insurance and benefit programs, or through Medicare/Medicaid. Some of the largest providers of managed health care include Aetna, Humana Inc., and Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare.
| CVS | UNH | CVS / UNH | |
| Capitalization | 133B | 376B | 35% |
| EBITDA | 11.1B | 22.8B | 49% |
| Gain YTD | 34.666 | 27.232 | 127% |
| P/E Ratio | 45.80 | 31.20 | 147% |
| Revenue | 408B | 450B | 91% |
| Total Cash | N/A | N/A | - |
| Total Debt | 78.3B | 77.9B | 101% |
CVS | UNH | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 86 | 87 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 3 Undervalued | 6 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 63 | 91 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 88 | 64 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 5 | 39 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 6 | 5 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | n/a |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
CVS's Valuation (3) in the Drugstore Chains industry is in the same range as UNH (6) in the Managed Health Care industry. This means that CVS’s stock grew similarly to UNH’s over the last 12 months.
CVS's Profit vs Risk Rating (63) in the Drugstore Chains industry is in the same range as UNH (91) in the Managed Health Care industry. This means that CVS’s stock grew similarly to UNH’s over the last 12 months.
UNH's SMR Rating (64) in the Managed Health Care industry is in the same range as CVS (88) in the Drugstore Chains industry. This means that UNH’s stock grew similarly to CVS’s over the last 12 months.
CVS's Price Growth Rating (5) in the Drugstore Chains industry is somewhat better than the same rating for UNH (39) in the Managed Health Care industry. This means that CVS’s stock grew somewhat faster than UNH’s over the last 12 months.
UNH's P/E Growth Rating (5) in the Managed Health Care industry is in the same range as CVS (6) in the Drugstore Chains industry. This means that UNH’s stock grew similarly to CVS’s over the last 12 months.
| CVS | UNH | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 78% | 5 days ago 50% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 63% | 4 days ago 69% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 60% | 4 days ago 63% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 54% | 4 days ago 51% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 59% | 4 days ago 58% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 62% | 4 days ago 55% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 14 days ago 67% | 18 days ago 55% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 58% | 8 days ago 54% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 64% | 4 days ago 56% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 63% | 4 days ago 47% |
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