SYK vs. UNH: Stryker vs. UnitedHealth Group Stock Comparison

August 16, 2026

How do Stryker (SYK) 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

Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) both fall under the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group, but SYK is classified in Health Care Equipment & Supplies while UNH is classified in Health Care Providers & Services.

Company profile comparison for Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Profile Item	SYK	UNH
Name	Stryker Corporation	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	130.11 billion USD	360.59 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

SYK

UNH

GSPC

Stryker (SYK) vs. UnitedHealth Group (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 Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Metric	SYK	UNH
Total Return (1Y)	-9.47%	51.94%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	7.04%	-5.82%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	6.31%	1.37%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

SYK

UNH

GSPC

Stryker (SYK) vs. UnitedHealth Group (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 Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Metric	SYK	UNH
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	27.55%	37.43%
Beta (5Y)	0.77	0.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-31.68%	-61.39%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.64M	6.03M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

SYK 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 Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Metric	SYK	UNH
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.49	1.28
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.68	1.87

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Stryker (SYK) at 16.51% sits in the top ROE quartile, while UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 14.15% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for SYK.

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

16.51%

Max: 47.06%
SYK: 16.51%
Q3: 14.60%
Median: 4.59%
Q1: -14.37%
Min: -56.60%

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

14.15%

Max: 47.06%
Q3: 14.60%
UNH: 14.15%
Median: 4.59%
Q1: -14.37%
Min: -56.60%

Stryker (SYK) vs. UnitedHealth Group (UNH): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Stryker (SYK) at 14.43% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 3.14%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

14.43%

Max: 28.45%
SYK: 14.43%
Q3: 9.22%
Median: 1.85%
Q1: -7.13%
Min: -30.69%

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.14%

Max: 28.45%
Q3: 9.22%
UNH: 3.14%
Median: 1.85%
Q1: -7.13%
Min: -30.69%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Stryker (SYK) at 27.02% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 7.13%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

27.02%

Max: 38.55%
SYK: 27.02%
Q3: 14.43%
Median: 7.25%
Q1: -2.09%
Min: -24.66%

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

7.13%

Max: 38.55%
Q3: 14.43%
Median: 7.25%
UNH: 7.13%
Q1: -2.09%
Min: -24.66%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Metric	SYK	UNH
ROE (TTM)	16.51%	14.15%
ROA (TTM)	8.16%	4.87%
Net Margin (TTM)	14.43%	3.14%
Operating Margin (TTM)	27.02%	7.13%
Gross Margin (TTM)	65.59%	19.72%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Stryker (SYK) at 11.16% and UnitedHealth Group (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.

Stryker (SYK) vs. UnitedHealth Group (UNH): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Stryker (SYK) at 8.25% and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at -14.70% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Stryker (SYK) vs. UnitedHealth Group (UNH): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Metric	SYK	UNH
Revenue Growth (YoY)	11.16%	11.81%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	10.83%	11.35%
EPS Growth (YoY)	8.25%	-14.70%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	10.83%	-14.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Stryker (SYK) at 2.16 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 0.78 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for UNH.

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.16

Max: 8.18
Q3: 4.20
SYK: 2.16
Median: 1.99
Q1: 1.34
Min: 0.15

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.78

Max: 8.18
Q3: 4.20
Median: 1.99
Q1: 1.34
UNH: 0.78
Min: 0.15

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Stryker (SYK) at 0.64 and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 0.69 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.64

Max: 2.02
Q3: 1.01
SYK: 0.64
Median: 0.63
Q1: 0.15
Min: 0.00

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.69

Max: 2.02
Q3: 1.01
UNH: 0.69
Median: 0.63
Q1: 0.15
Min: 0.00

Stryker (SYK) vs. UnitedHealth Group (UNH): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Metric	SYK	UNH
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.16	0.78
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.64	0.69
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.62	1.57

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Stryker (SYK) at 1.02% and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 2.24% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.02%

SYK: 1.02%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.24%

UNH: 2.24%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Stryker (SYK) at 36.06% and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 57.52% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

36.06%

SYK: 36.06%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

57.52%

UNH: 57.52%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Metric	SYK	UNH
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.02%	2.24%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	36.06%	57.52%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Stryker (SYK) at 35.22 and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 25.83 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

35.22

Max: 76.75
Q3: 44.61
SYK: 35.22
Median: 28.57
Q1: 20.73
Min: 1.62

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

25.83

Max: 76.75
Q3: 44.61
Median: 28.57
UNH: 25.83
Q1: 20.73
Min: 1.62

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 0.80 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Stryker (SYK) at 5.04 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

5.04

Max: 9.63
SYK: 5.04
Q3: 4.61
Median: 2.28
Q1: 1.15
Min: 0.04

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.80

Max: 9.63
Q3: 4.61
Median: 2.28
Q1: 1.15
UNH: 0.80
Min: 0.04

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Stryker (SYK) at 5.66 and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) at 3.48 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

SYK

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

5.66

Max: 12.92
Q3: 6.30
SYK: 5.66
Median: 3.18
Q1: 1.75
Min: -2.19

UNH

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.48

Max: 12.92
Q3: 6.30
UNH: 3.48
Median: 3.18
Q1: 1.75
Min: -2.19

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Stryker (SYK) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
Metric	SYK	UNH
P/E Ratio (TTM)	35.22	25.83
P/S Ratio (TTM)	5.04	0.80
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	5.66	3.48
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	3.16%	6.73%