HCA Health Inc vs UnitedHealth Group Inc — how do they compare? HCA Health Inc trades at $372.67 (market cap $82.17B), while UnitedHealth Group Inc trades at $434.28 (market cap $382.83B). The key difference: UnitedHealth Group Inc is far larger — about 4.7× HCA Health Inc's market cap, and UnitedHealth Group Inc pays the higher dividend (2.2%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HCA | UNH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $82.17B | $382.83B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $545.13 | $431.68 |
52-Week Low | $334.32 | $237.77 |
Enterprise Value | $131.08B | $429.52B |
Dividend Yield | 0.84% | 2.2% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HCA Healthcare trades at $370.74, down 0.12% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals including consistent earnings beats and revenue growth to $75.6 billion in 2025. The stock faces headwinds from lowered 2026 guidance and negative news flow, but maintains a solid valuation with a P/E of 12.79 and positive analyst consensus.
The outlook is mixed: attractive valuation and operational strength support upside to the $469.40 price target, but near-term risks from payer mix shifts and legal investigations warrant caution. Long-term growth drivers include capacity expansion and medical advancements, though investor sentiment is currently pressured.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) trades at $426.09, up 0.64% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong analyst support. The stock shows consistent earnings beats, with Q2 2026 EPS of $6.38 surpassing expectations of $4.94. Revenue growth remains robust, reaching $447.57 billion in 2025, though net margins have compressed to 2.68%. Recent corporate actions include a $2.32 dividend and ongoing share repurchases, while news highlights operational streamlining like reduced pediatric prior authorizations.
UNH's outlook is positive, driven by aging demographics and tech innovation in healthcare, offering upside to the $467.12 consensus target. Risks include regulatory scrutiny, as seen in Massachusetts' Medicaid lawsuit, and margin pressure from rising costs. Institutional sentiment is strongly bullish, with 82.69% of analysts rating it a buy, supporting long-term growth prospects amid sector tailwinds.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the U.S. As of December 2021, the firm owned and operated 182 hospitals, 125 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, and a broad network of physician offices, urgent care clinics, and freestanding emergency rooms across nearly 20 states and a small foothold in England.
Read more on HCA →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 →