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HUM vs UNH
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Humana (HUM) vs. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Humana (HUM) delivered stronger year-to-date returns of approximately 57% compared to UnitedHealth Group (UNH)’s roughly 31% as of mid-July 2026, reflecting divergent recovery paths in the managed-care sector.
- UNH reported a second-quarter earnings beat on July 16, 2026, with adjusted earnings of $6.38 per share and raised its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to $19.50–$20.00 per share, triggering an initial share price surge of nearly 8–10%.
- HUM maintains a more concentrated focus on government-sponsored plans such as Medicare Advantage, while UNH benefits from greater diversification across insurance, Optum health services, and pharmacy benefits management.
- Both companies operate in the managed-care sector and face similar pressures from medical cost trends, yet HUM has shown clearer margin recovery momentum in recent market activity.
- UNH’s larger scale and broader operational footprint provide structural resilience, though recent earnings momentum has narrowed the performance gap observed earlier in the year.
- Sector sentiment has improved for both stocks amid earnings clarity, with HUM exhibiting stronger relative price momentum in the recent period.
Introduction
Humana (HUM) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) represent two leading players in the U.S. managed-care industry, making them natural subjects for comparison among investors and traders seeking exposure to healthcare services. Both companies generate revenue primarily through health insurance premiums and related services, yet they differ in scale, business mix, and exposure to government versus commercial markets. This comparison is particularly relevant for portfolio managers evaluating sector allocation, momentum traders monitoring relative performance, and long-term investors assessing resilience amid evolving medical cost and regulatory dynamics.
HUM Overview and Recent Performance
Humana (HUM) is a major health insurance provider with a strong emphasis on Medicare Advantage plans and value-based care arrangements. In recent market activity, the stock has benefited from improving benefit ratios and a clearer trajectory toward margin recovery following earlier industry-wide cost pressures. Year-to-date performance through mid-July 2026 showed HUM delivering approximately 57% returns, outpacing broader sector peers and reflecting sustained investor confidence in its focused business model. Recent weeks have featured steady price momentum supported by operational improvements, though the stock remains sensitive to any shifts in Medicare reimbursement rates or enrollment trends.
UNH Overview and Recent Performance
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) is the largest health insurer in the United States, operating across insurance, Optum health services, and pharmacy benefits management for a diversified revenue base. On July 16, 2026, the company reported second-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations, with adjusted earnings of $6.38 per share against estimates of $4.88 per share, prompting an immediate share price increase of nearly 8–10%. The firm also raised its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to $19.50–$20.00 per share. Year-to-date returns through mid-July stood at approximately 31%, indicating a recovery phase after prior volatility, with recent market activity centered on the positive earnings reaction and improved operating margins.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Humana (HUM) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) differ markedly in business model scope: HUM concentrates on Medicare-centric insurance and value-based care, while UNH leverages a broader platform that includes substantial health services revenue. Growth drivers for HUM center on Medicare Advantage enrollment and medical cost management, whereas UNH benefits from diversified segments that can offset insurance margin fluctuations. Recent momentum has favored HUM’s stronger year-to-date gains, though UNH’s July earnings beat introduced fresh positive catalysts. Risk factors include medical loss ratio pressures for both, with UNH additionally navigating regulatory scrutiny and HUM facing greater sensitivity to government policy changes. Market sentiment has turned more constructive for both following earnings updates, yet HUM’s relative outperformance highlights a trade-off between concentrated focus and diversified scale.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors including trend consistency, relative price momentum, and the resolution trajectory of company-specific headwinds, Tickeron’s AI-driven analysis would likely tilt in favor of Humana (HUM) in the current environment. The stock’s stronger recent momentum, improving benefit ratio trajectory, and clearer path toward margin recovery present a more constructive technical and fundamental picture. UnitedHealth Group (UNH)’s challenges—compressed margins in certain segments and a slower earnings rebound—introduce greater uncertainty that can weigh on algorithmic confidence scores. That said, UnitedHealth Group (UNH)’s scale and diversification make it a structurally more resilient holding, and if medical cost trends ease or regulatory clarity improves, the AI verdict could shift. As always, probabilistic models reflect the weight of current data, not certain outcomes.
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.
Humana Inc. (HUM) and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) are large healthcare companies based in the US. Unitedhealth is the larger of the two by several orders of magnitude, with an enterprise value of $424B, while Humana has an EV of $57B at the time of this writing. Both companies operate as insurers for major medical policies, as well as supplemental policies such as Medicare Advantage and dental coverages. UNH operates in multiple segments under the Optum brand and the Unitedhealth brand, serving medical and pharmaceutical industry infrastructure with financial services and other logistics. Both companies derive significant income from government contracts for Medicaid, Medicare, and ACA-related health policies. Their margins are more modest than some industries, but they have reliable earnings. UNH has a slightly better ROE, currently at 22% at the time of this writing compared to HUM’s 17%, but their ROA is almost the same figure, at approximately 6.4%.
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).
HUM’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileUNH’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- HUM’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 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.
HUM’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while UNH’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- HUM’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- UNH’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 6 bearish.
Price Growth
HUM (@Managed Health Care) experienced а +1.05% price change this week, while UNH (@Managed Health Care) price change was -1.31% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Managed Health Care industry was +1.66%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -6.66%, and the average quarterly price growth was +53.03%.
Reported Earning Dates
HUM is expected to report earnings on Nov 06, 2026.
UNH is expected to report earnings on Oct 09, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Managed Health Care (+1.66% 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.
| HUM | UNH | HUM / UNH | |
| Capitalization | 46.7B | 361B | 13% |
| EBITDA | N/A | 22.8B | - |
| Gain YTD | 53.027 | 23.342 | 227% |
| P/E Ratio | 36.77 | 25.82 | 142% |
| Revenue | 146B | 450B | 32% |
| Total Cash | 23.9B | N/A | - |
| Total Debt | 14.2B | 77.9B | 18% |
HUM | UNH | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 69 | 25 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 10 Undervalued | 4 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | 94 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 95 | 64 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 38 | 46 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 12 | 9 | |
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.
UNH's Valuation (4) in the Managed Health Care industry is in the same range as HUM (10). This means that UNH’s stock grew similarly to HUM’s over the last 12 months.
UNH's Profit vs Risk Rating (94) in the Managed Health Care industry is in the same range as HUM (100). This means that UNH’s stock grew similarly to HUM’s over the last 12 months.
UNH's SMR Rating (64) in the Managed Health Care industry is in the same range as HUM (95). This means that UNH’s stock grew similarly to HUM’s over the last 12 months.
HUM's Price Growth Rating (38) in the Managed Health Care industry is in the same range as UNH (46). This means that HUM’s stock grew similarly to UNH’s over the last 12 months.
UNH's P/E Growth Rating (9) in the Managed Health Care industry is in the same range as HUM (12). This means that UNH’s stock grew similarly to HUM’s over the last 12 months.
| HUM | UNH | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 66% | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 67% | 1 day ago 67% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 68% | 1 day ago 62% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 67% | 5 days ago 63% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 62% | 1 day ago 59% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 67% | 1 day ago 55% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 9 days ago 62% | 30 days ago 55% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 20 days ago 66% | 20 days ago 54% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 66% | 1 day ago 80% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 61% | 1 day ago 65% |
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HUM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, HUM has been loosely correlated with UNH. These tickers have moved in lockstep 55% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if HUM jumps, then UNH could also see price increases.