Smith & Nephew plc vs UnitedHealth Group Inc — how do they compare? Smith & Nephew plc trades at $27.72 (market cap $11.63B), while UnitedHealth Group Inc trades at $394.37 (market cap $359.79B). The key difference: UnitedHealth Group Inc is far larger — about 30.9× Smith & Nephew plc's market cap, and Smith & Nephew plc pays the higher dividend (2.85%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| SNN | UNH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $11.63B | $359.79B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $38.53 | $436.35 |
52-Week Low | $27.80 | $259.02 |
Enterprise Value | $14.66B | $401.65B |
Dividend Yield | 2.85% | 2.32% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Smith & Nephew (SNN) trades at $27.87, down 3.46% over 24 hours and near its 52-week low. The stock shows a bearish technical trend with mixed sentiment; recent earnings have mostly beaten expectations, but Q2 2026 revenue growth missed and guidance was cut. Fundamentals are solid with revenue rising to $6.16B in 2025 and net income margin improving to 10.08%, though debt levels have increased. The company faces competitive pressures in key markets like U.S. Orthopaedics.
Outlook is cautious: valuation ratios like P/E of 18.96 are reasonable, but analyst consensus is Hold (65%) due to execution risks and CFO departure. Opportunities include innovation in surgical robotics and new product launches, but investors should monitor U.S. market weakness and debt management for sustained recovery.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) trades at $393.06, down 1.03% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong analyst support. The company reported revenue of $447.57B in 2025, with net income of $12.06B, and has beaten EPS estimates in recent quarters. Recent news highlights strategic moves to reduce pediatric prior authorizations and ongoing shareholder returns via dividends and buybacks.
The outlook for UNH is positive, driven by aging demographics, Medicare growth, and operational efficiencies, though risks include regulatory scrutiny and margin pressures. With 82.7% of analysts rating it a buy and a consensus price target of $475.47, the stock presents a compelling opportunity for long-term investors seeking exposure to healthcare stability and dividend growth.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Smith & Nephew designs, manufactures, and markets orthopedic devices, sports medicine and arthroscopic technologies, and wound-care solutions. Roughly 42% of the U.K.-based firm's revenue comes from orthopedic products, and another 30% is sports medicine and ENT. The remaining 28% of revenue is from the advanced wound therapy segment. Roughly half of Smith & Nephew's total revenue comes from the United States, just over 30% is from other developed markets, and emerging markets account for the remainder.
Read more on SNN →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 →