ALNY vs. UNH: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ALNY and UNH, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
UNH’s market capitalization of 279.90 billion USD is significantly greater than ALNY’s 43.28 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
UNH carries a higher beta at 0.45, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while ALNY (beta: 0.21) exhibits greater stability.
| Symbol | ALNY | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | UnitedHealth Group Incorporated |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Medical - Healthcare Plans |
| CEO | Yvonne L. Greenstreet | Stephen J. Hemsley |
| Price | 331.91 USD | 308.55 USD |
| Market Cap | 43.28 billion USD | 279.90 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.21 | 0.45 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | June 1, 2004 | October 17, 1984 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ALNY and UNH by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ALNY
-509.33%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 72.39%
- Q3
- -6.30%
- Median
- -32.82%
- Q1
- -68.26%
- Min
- -147.61%
ALNY has a negative Return on Equity of -509.33%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
UNH
24.09%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 13.94%
- Q3
- 13.62%
- Median
- 11.42%
- Q1
- 7.74%
- Min
- 6.98%
UNH’s Return on Equity of 24.09% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Return on Invested Capital
ALNY
-2.79%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 48.74%
- Q3
- -10.68%
- Median
- -31.65%
- Q1
- -52.92%
- Min
- -113.69%
ALNY has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -2.79%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
UNH
13.21%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 15.50%
- Q3
- 7.12%
- Median
- 5.48%
- Q1
- -3.47%
- Min
- -15.02%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, UNH’s Return on Invested Capital of 13.21% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
ALNY
-11.49%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -5.05%
- Median
- -103.44%
- Q1
- -1,032.77%
- Min
- -2,366.07%
ALNY has a negative Net Profit Margin of -11.49%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
UNH
5.43%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 3.23%
- Q3
- 2.62%
- Median
- 1.70%
- Q1
- 1.27%
- Min
- 1.22%
UNH’s Net Profit Margin of 5.43% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin
ALNY
-4.91%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -3.28%
- Median
- -115.26%
- Q1
- -1,188.86%
- Min
- -2,943.30%
ALNY has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -4.91%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
UNH
8.22%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 4.30%
- Q3
- 3.77%
- Median
- 2.61%
- Q1
- 1.60%
- Min
- -1.64%
UNH’s Operating Profit Margin of 8.22% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ALNY | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -509.33% | 24.09% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -6.40% | 7.14% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -2.79% | 13.21% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -11.49% | 5.43% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -4.91% | 8.22% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 86.01% | 21.48% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ALNY
3.04
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 28.73
- Q3
- 13.97
- Median
- 6.31
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- 0.02
ALNY’s Current Ratio of 3.04 falls into the lower quartile for the Biotechnology industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
UNH
0.85
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 1.91
- Q3
- 1.63
- Median
- 1.43
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.78
UNH’s Current Ratio of 0.85 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ALNY
11.28
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.46
- Q3
- 0.22
- Median
- 0.06
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 11.28, ALNY operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Biotechnology industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
UNH
0.86
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 1.06
- Q3
- 0.86
- Median
- 0.75
- Q1
- 0.66
- Min
- 0.66
UNH’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.86 is typical for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ALNY
-0.79
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 108.32
- Q3
- -0.55
- Median
- -8.49
- Q1
- -74.83
- Min
- -168.36
ALNY has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -0.79. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
UNH
16.30
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 6.23
- Q3
- 6.23
- Median
- 5.19
- Q1
- 4.64
- Min
- 3.18
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 16.30, UNH demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ALNY | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 3.04 | 0.85 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 2.98 | 0.85 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 11.28 | 0.86 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.31 | 0.26 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -1.85 | 1.57 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -0.79 | 16.30 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ALNY and UNH. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ALNY
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALNY currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
UNH
2.76%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 3.88%
- Q3
- 1.78%
- Median
- 0.73%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.76%, UNH offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ALNY
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALNY has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
UNH
34.90%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 63.88%
- Q3
- 29.91%
- Median
- 12.57%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UNH’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 34.90% is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ALNY | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 2.76% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 34.90% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ALNY
-159.59
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 78.44
- Q3
- 48.98
- Median
- 20.50
- Q1
- 12.64
- Min
- 2.14
ALNY has a negative P/E Ratio of -159.59. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
UNH
12.81
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 18.17
- Q3
- 17.32
- Median
- 15.48
- Q1
- 13.55
- Min
- 12.84
UNH’s P/E Ratio of 12.81 is below the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This may indicate that the stock is potentially undervalued, or it could reflect market concerns about the company’s future prospects.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ALNY
-43.29
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 2.29
- Q3
- 1.10
- Median
- 0.49
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.02
ALNY has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -43.29. This typically results from negative earnings or forecasts of declining future earnings, making the ratio not meaningful for valuation.
UNH
0.78
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 1.41
- Q3
- 1.09
- Median
- 0.85
- Q1
- 0.79
- Min
- 0.60
In the lower quartile for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, UNH’s Forward PEG Ratio of 0.78 is a positive indicator. It suggests that the stock may be attractively valued relative to its expected earnings growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ALNY
18.43
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 110.90
- Q3
- 59.76
- Median
- 11.33
- Q1
- 4.45
- Min
- 0.17
ALNY’s P/S Ratio of 18.43 aligns with the market consensus for the Biotechnology industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
UNH
0.69
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 0.94
- Q3
- 0.64
- Median
- 0.43
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.16
UNH’s P/S Ratio of 0.69 is in the upper echelon for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ALNY
372.86
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 15.78
- Q3
- 7.44
- Median
- 3.31
- Q1
- 1.58
- Min
- 0.31
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Biotechnology industry.
UNH
2.98
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 4.08
- Q3
- 3.83
- Median
- 2.63
- Q1
- 1.74
- Min
- 0.96
UNH’s P/B Ratio of 2.98 is within the conventional range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ALNY | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -159.59 | 12.81 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -43.29 | 0.78 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 18.43 | 0.69 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 372.86 | 2.98 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -574.08 | 11.26 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -285.32 | 10.28 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 18.55 | 0.81 |