HCA vs. UNH: HCA Healthcare vs. UnitedHealth Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (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

HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH) both belong to the Health Care Providers & Services industry, though HCA is classified under Health Care Facilities while UNH falls under Managed Health Care.

Company profile comparison for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH)
Profile Item	HCA	UNH
Name	HCA Healthcare, Inc.	UnitedHealth Group Inc.
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 Providers & Services	Health Care Providers & Services
GICS Sub-Industry	Health Care Facilities	Managed Health Care
Market Capitalization	103.40 billion USD	353.17 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	March 10, 2011	October 17, 1984
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

HCA

UNH

GSPC

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH)
Metric	HCA	UNH
Total Return (1Y)	6.56%	26.08%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	31.39%	-7.69%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	16.40%	-1.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

HCA

UNH

GSPC

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH)
Metric	HCA	UNH
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	32.89%	34.76%
Beta (5Y)	1.07	0.52
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-39.49%	-61.39%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.35M	5.13M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

HCA and UNH are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH)
Metric	HCA	UNH
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.07	0.63
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.11	0.86

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: UnitedHealth (UNH) earns 15.77% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; HCA Healthcare (HCA) has no ROE this period.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

Max: 47.61%
Q3: 14.36%
Median: 5.45%
Q1: -10.67%
Min: -47.01%
HCA: --

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

15.77%

Max: 47.61%
UNH: 15.77%
Q3: 14.36%
Median: 5.45%
Q1: -10.67%
Min: -47.01%

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): HCA does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; UNH is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 8.61% and UnitedHealth (UNH) at 3.53% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

8.61%

Max: 29.35%
Q3: 9.33%
HCA: 8.61%
Median: 2.18%
Q1: -6.29%
Min: -28.46%

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.53%

Max: 29.35%
Q3: 9.33%
UNH: 3.53%
Median: 2.18%
Q1: -6.29%
Min: -28.46%

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 14.83% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of UnitedHealth (UNH) at 5.82%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

14.83%

Max: 35.43%
HCA: 14.83%
Q3: 14.14%
Median: 6.81%
Q1: -0.28%
Min: -16.29%

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

5.82%

Max: 35.43%
Q3: 14.14%
Median: 6.81%
UNH: 5.82%
Q1: -0.28%
Min: -16.29%

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH)
Metric	HCA	UNH
ROE (TTM)	--	15.77%
ROA (TTM)	12.23%	5.24%
Net Margin (TTM)	8.61%	3.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)	14.83%	5.82%
Gross Margin (TTM)	42.76%	20.05%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 7.08% and UnitedHealth (UNH) at 11.81% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 28.77% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while UnitedHealth (UNH) at -14.70% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for HCA.

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH)
Metric	HCA	UNH
Revenue Growth (YoY)	7.08%	11.81%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	7.87%	11.35%
EPS Growth (YoY)	28.77%	-14.70%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	13.94%	-14.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 0.82 and UnitedHealth (UNH) at 0.74 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.82

Max: 7.59
Q3: 4.00
Median: 1.98
Q1: 1.37
HCA: 0.82
Min: 0.30

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.74

Max: 7.59
Q3: 4.00
Median: 1.98
Q1: 1.37
UNH: 0.74
Min: 0.30

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: UnitedHealth (UNH) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70 against its industry range, while HCA Healthcare (HCA) reports no figure this period.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

Max: 1.88
Q3: 0.91
Median: 0.58
Q1: 0.16
Min: 0.00
HCA: --

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.70

Max: 1.88
Q3: 0.91
UNH: 0.70
Median: 0.58
Q1: 0.16
Min: 0.00

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): HCA does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; UNH is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH)
Metric	HCA	UNH
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.82	0.74
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	--	0.70
Net Debt / EBITDA	3.26	1.58

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 0.60% and UnitedHealth (UNH) at 2.29% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.60%

HCA: 0.60%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.29%

UNH: 2.29%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 10.15% and UnitedHealth (UNH) at 51.71% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

10.15%

HCA: 10.15%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

51.71%

UNH: 51.71%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH)
Metric	HCA	UNH
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.60%	2.29%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	10.15%	51.71%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 16.42 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while UnitedHealth (UNH) at 22.50 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for HCA, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

16.42

Max: 80.41
Q3: 47.62
Median: 29.93
Q1: 21.19
HCA: 16.42
Min: 4.21

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

22.50

Max: 80.41
Q3: 47.62
Median: 29.93
UNH: 22.50
Q1: 21.19
Min: 4.21

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

UnitedHealth (UNH) at 0.78 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 1.31 prices around its industry’s middle — UNH costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.31

Max: 8.80
Q3: 4.32
Median: 2.13
HCA: 1.31
Q1: 1.10
Min: 0.03

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.78

Max: 8.80
Q3: 4.32
Median: 2.13
Q1: 1.10
UNH: 0.78
Min: 0.03

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

HCA Healthcare (HCA) reports a negative P/B ratio of -12.92, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile UnitedHealth (UNH) reports 3.60, ranking against industry peers normally.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

-12.92

Max: 11.68
Q3: 6.12
Median: 3.00
Q1: 1.73
Min: -1.31
HCA: -12.92

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.60

Max: 11.68
Q3: 6.12
UNH: 3.60
Median: 3.00
Q1: 1.73
Min: -1.31

HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. UnitedHealth (UNH): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and UnitedHealth (UNH)
Metric	HCA	UNH
P/E Ratio (TTM)	16.42	22.50
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.31	0.78
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	-12.92	3.60
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	3.81%	7.50%