Cigna Corp vs UnitedHealth Group Inc — how do they compare? Cigna Corp trades at $274.93 (market cap $73.56B), while UnitedHealth Group Inc trades at $404.39 (market cap $361.00B). The key difference: UnitedHealth Group Inc is far larger — about 4.9× Cigna Corp's market cap, and UnitedHealth Group Inc pays the higher dividend (2.31%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CI | UNH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $73.56B | $361.00B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $311.00 | $436.35 |
52-Week Low | $244.41 | $259.02 |
Enterprise Value | $98.27B | $402.86B |
Dividend Yield | 2.24% | 2.31% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Cigna (CI) trades at $278.40, down 1.45% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals including a P/E of 11.51 and ROE of 15.49%. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations at $7.78 per share, and the company raised its full-year EPS guidance. The stock is supported by consistent dividend payments and robust cash flow from operations of $9.60 billion in 2025.
The outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $338.90, implying 22% upside. Key opportunities include steady earnings growth and capital returns, while risks involve healthcare cost pressures and competitive dynamics. Analyst sentiment is strongly bullish with 73.68% buy ratings, though technical indicators suggest near-term caution.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) trades at $408.74, showing modest daily gains of 0.41% amid a bearish technical signal. The company demonstrates strong fundamental performance with consistent earnings beats in recent quarters and robust analyst support (82.7% buy ratings). Recent developments include dividend payments and strategic initiatives to streamline pediatric care authorizations, positioning UNH well in the healthcare sector.
UNH presents a compelling investment case with strong cash flow generation and market leadership, though investors face risks from regulatory scrutiny and margin compression. The stock trades at a discount to analyst consensus target of $476.50, offering potential upside if operational improvements and growth initiatives materialize as projected.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Cigna primarily provides pharmacy benefit management and health insurance services. Its PBM services were greatly expanded by its 2018 merger with Express Scripts and are mostly sold to health insurance plans and employers. Its largest PBM contract is the Department of Defense. In health insurance and other benefits, Cigna mostly serves employers through self-funding arrangements, but it also operates in government programs, such as Medicare Advantage. The company operates mostly in the U.S. with 15 million medical members covered as of the end of 2020, but its services extend internationally, covering another 2 million people.
Read more on CI →UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest private health insurers, providing medical benefits to 50 million members globally, including 5 million outside the U.S. at the end of 2021. As a leader in employer-sponsored, self-directed, and government-backed insurance plans, UnitedHealth has obtained massive scale in managed care. Along with its insurance assets, UnitedHealth's continued investments in its Optum franchises have created a healthcare services colossus that spans everything from medical and pharmaceutical benefits to providing outpatient care and analytics to both affiliated and third-party customers.
Read more on UNH →