CVS Health Corporation (CVS)
CVS Health combines a national retail pharmacy chain, the Aetna health-insurance business, and the Caremark pharmacy-benefit manager. This integrated model spans much of the US prescription-drug supply chain.
Health Care stock comparison
CVS vs UNH: which business are you actually underwriting?
Compare CVS Health Corporation with UnitedHealth Group Incorporated using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
- Sector
- Health
- Industry
- Different SIC
- Shared themes
- 1
- Updated
- 2026-03-02
CVS vs UNH: quick comparison
| Company fact | CVS | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| Company | CVS Health Corporation | UnitedHealth Group Incorporated |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Headquarters | Woonsocket, Rhode Island | Minnetonka, Minnesota |
| Founded | 1963 | 1977 |
| SEC industry | Retail-Drug Stores and Proprietary Stores | Hospital & Medical Service Plans |
| Fiscal year-end | December 31 | December 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-02-10 | 10-K · 2026-03-02 |
How the businesses differ
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH)
UnitedHealth is the largest US health insurer and, through Optum, a major provider of pharmacy benefits, health services, and data analytics. Its combined insurance-and-services model gives it wide reach across the healthcare system.
The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. CVS is classified by the SEC as Retail-Drug Stores and Proprietary Stores, while UNH is classified as Hospital & Medical Service Plans. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.
Which thesis does each company fit?
Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.
Study CVS when…
- Drug approvals and clinical-trial readouts
- Medicare and drug-pricing policy
- Demographics and an aging population
- GLP-1 and obesity-drug demand
Study UNH when…
- Drug approvals and clinical-trial readouts
- Medicare and drug-pricing policy
- Demographics and an aging population
- GLP-1 and obesity-drug demand
Shared research themes
US markets
SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.CVS's fiscal year ends December 31, while UNH's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 0matched transaction rows for CVSand 2 for UNH. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
CVS primary filings
UNH primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
More comparisons involving CVS or UNH
CVS vs UNH FAQs
Are CVS and UNH direct competitors?
CVS Health Corporation and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated sit in the same Health Care sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.
Which is better, CVS or UNH?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this CVS vs UNH comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices, then use the primary filings here to test the business thesis.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-08-10. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-08-10. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
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