ABT vs. UNH: Abbott Laboratories vs. UnitedHealth Group Stock Comparison
How do Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) both fall under the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group, but ABT is classified in Health Care Equipment & Supplies while UNH is classified in Health Care Providers & Services.
| Profile Item | ABT | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Abbott Laboratories | UnitedHealth Group Incorporated |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Health Care Equipment & Services | Health Care Equipment & Services |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | Health Care Providers & Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Health Care Equipment | Managed Health Care |
| Market Capitalization | 158.05 billion USD | 377.45 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | October 17, 1984 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ABT | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -31.92% | 36.80% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ABT | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 24.79% | 40.24% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.61 | 0.62 |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 12.99M | 7.68M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 12.33% and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 12.18% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
ABT
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
12.33%
- Max
- 53.65%
- Q3
- 13.38%
- ABT
- 12.33%
- Median
- 3.66%
- Q1
- -17.06%
- Min
- -59.21%
UNH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
12.18%
- Max
- 53.65%
- Q3
- 13.38%
- UNH
- 12.18%
- Median
- 3.66%
- Q1
- -17.06%
- Min
- -59.21%
Net Margin (TTM)
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 13.91% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 2.68%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.
ABT
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
13.91%
- Max
- 30.40%
- ABT
- 13.91%
- Q3
- 8.04%
- Median
- 1.52%
- Q1
- -9.42%
- Min
- -34.34%
UNH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
2.68%
- Max
- 30.40%
- Q3
- 8.04%
- UNH
- 2.68%
- Median
- 1.52%
- Q1
- -9.42%
- Min
- -34.34%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 13.47% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 8.05%, which runs around its industry’s norm.
ABT
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
13.47%
- Max
- 37.54%
- ABT
- 13.47%
- Q3
- 12.56%
- Median
- 5.48%
- Q1
- -4.26%
- Min
- -25.61%
UNH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
8.05%
- Max
- 37.54%
- Q3
- 12.56%
- UNH
- 8.05%
- Median
- 5.48%
- Q1
- -4.26%
- Min
- -25.61%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ABT | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 12.33% | 12.18% |
| ROA (TTM) | 5.59% | 3.78% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 13.91% | 2.68% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 13.47% | 8.05% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 56.50% | 18.80% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Revenue Growth Metrics
| Metric | ABT | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 5.67% | 11.81% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 0.51% | 11.35% |
EPS Growth
EPS Growth Metrics
| Metric | ABT | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -51.31% | -14.70% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -1.65% | -14.52% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 1.39 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 0.80 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for UNH.
ABT
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
1.39
- Max
- 7.79
- Q3
- 4.28
- Median
- 1.99
- ABT
- 1.39
- Q1
- 1.34
- Min
- 0.04
UNH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.80
- Max
- 7.79
- Q3
- 4.28
- Median
- 1.99
- Q1
- 1.34
- UNH
- 0.80
- Min
- 0.04
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 0.65 and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 0.74 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
ABT
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.65
- Max
- 2.02
- Q3
- 1.01
- ABT
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.60
- Q1
- 0.15
- Min
- 0.00
UNH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.74
- Max
- 2.02
- Q3
- 1.01
- UNH
- 0.74
- Median
- 0.60
- Q1
- 0.15
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ABT | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.39 | 0.80 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.65 | 0.74 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 2.29 | 2.18 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 2.63% and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 2.11% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.
ABT
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
2.63%
- ABT
- 2.63%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UNH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
2.11%
- UNH
- 2.11%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 67.23% and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 66.57% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.
ABT
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
67.23%
- ABT
- 67.23%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UNH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
66.57%
- UNH
- 66.57%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ABT | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.63% | 2.11% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 67.23% | 66.57% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 25.42 and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 31.25 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.
ABT
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
25.42
- Max
- 78.82
- Q3
- 46.69
- Median
- 28.91
- ABT
- 25.42
- Q1
- 18.90
- Min
- 0.97
UNH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
31.25
- Max
- 78.82
- Q3
- 46.69
- UNH
- 31.25
- Median
- 28.91
- Q1
- 18.90
- Min
- 0.97
P/S Ratio (TTM)
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 0.84 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 3.50 prices around its industry’s middle — UNH costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.
ABT
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
3.50
- Max
- 9.34
- Q3
- 4.44
- ABT
- 3.50
- Median
- 1.99
- Q1
- 1.09
- Min
- 0.04
UNH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
0.84
- Max
- 9.34
- Q3
- 4.44
- Median
- 1.99
- Q1
- 1.09
- UNH
- 0.84
- Min
- 0.04
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at 3.04 and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 3.86 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
ABT
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
3.04
- Max
- 12.16
- Q3
- 5.75
- ABT
- 3.04
- Median
- 2.87
- Q1
- 1.48
- Min
- -2.40
UNH
Health Care Equipment & Services industry group
3.86
- Max
- 12.16
- Q3
- 5.75
- UNH
- 3.86
- Median
- 2.87
- Q1
- 1.48
- Min
- -2.40
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ABT | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 25.42 | 31.25 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 3.50 | 0.84 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 3.04 | 3.86 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 4.01% | 4.69% |