The healthcare sector is one of the largest sectors in the U.S. economy. Since the beginning of 2019, the healthcare sector has increased by 6.3% in market size. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, the healthcare sector has been one of the top-performing sectors in the first half of this year based on the reported earnings per share (EPS).
For the aforementioned reasons, investors are racing to invest in stocks from this industry. We have prepared a list for you to scout out some of the best healthcare stocks available on public U.S. markets.
Ticker | Company Name | Last Price | 1-Year Return | Market Cap |
---|---|---|---|---|
UNH | UnitedHealth Group Inc | $594.44 | 10.53% | 548.6B |
CVS | CVS Health Corp | $60.97 | -13.21% | 76.7B |
ANTM | Aneka Tambang Tbk PT | $1,540.00 | -8.88% | 37007.4B |
CI | Cigna Group | $310.94 | 5.39% | 86.9B |
HUM | Humana Inc | $285.01 | -42.79% | 34.3B |
CNC | Centene Corp | $62.36 | -13.09% | 31.5B |
WCG | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
MOH | Molina Healthcare Inc | $329.83 | -5.62% | 18.9B |
MGLN | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
VRTX | Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | $492.26 | 30.14% | 127.0B |
REGN | Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc | $817.37 | -1.62% | 90.1B |
ALXN | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
INCY | Incyte Corp | $81.89 | 49.65% | 15.8B |
BMRN | Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc | $66.29 | -22.46% | 12.6B |
SGEN | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
ALNY | Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | $273.27 | 60.56% | 35.2B |
IONS | Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc | $38.10 | -20.14% | 6.0B |
NBIX | Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. | $125.60 | 7.64% | 12.7B |
SAGE | SAGE Therapeutics Inc | $6.12 | -68.82% | 374.4M |
TECH | BIO-TECHNE Corp | $75.38 | 26.43% | 12.0B |
SRPT | Sarepta Therapeutics Inc | $125.75 | 51.63% | 12.0B |
ACAD | ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc | $15.69 | -33.23% | 2.6B |
BLUE | bluebird bio Inc | $0.45 | -87.29% | 87.3M |
EXEL | Exelixis Inc | $35.76 | 69.40% | 10.2B |
ADPT | Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp | $5.68 | 17.84% | 837.6M |
MRNA | Moderna Inc | $52.12 | -29.24% | 20.0B |
RGEN | Repligen Corp | $144.89 | -4.01% | 8.1B |
ALLK | Allakos Inc | $1.32 | -36.23% | 116.8M |
HCA | HCA Healthcare Inc | $352.06 | 51.03% | 90.9B |
UHS | Universal Health Services, Inc. | $204.56 | 57.20% | 13.5B |
EHC | Encompass Health Corp | $102.14 | 58.63% | 10.3B |
THC | Tenet Healthcare Corp | $160.60 | 188.85% | 15.3B |
SEM | Select Medical Holdings Corp | $38.12 | 73.67% | 4.9B |
CYH | Community Health Systems Inc | $4.31 | 68.36% | 596.1M |
SGRY | Surgery Partners Inc | $29.66 | 4.88% | 3.8B |
JYNT | Joint Corp | $11.89 | 48.25% | 178.3M |
AVCO | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
SSY | SunLink Health Systems Inc | $0.86 | 48.28% | 6.1M |
JNJ | Johnson & Johnson | $157.98 | 4.69% | 380.7B |
MRK | Merck & Co Inc | $101.45 | -2.45% | 257.1B |
PFE | Pfizer Inc | $27.40 | -12.32% | 155.2B |
AMGN | Amgen Inc | $320.89 | 18.36% | 172.4B |
LLY | Eli Lilly And Co | $774.91 | 29.17% | 734.4B |
ABBV | AbbVie Inc | $201.94 | 42.05% | 356.7B |
GILD | Gilead Sciences, Inc. | $91.33 | 13.30% | 113.7B |
BMY | Bristol-Myers Squibb Co | $56.40 | 7.86% | 114.3B |
BIIB | Biogen Inc | $174.97 | -28.76% | 25.5B |
HRTX | Heron Therapeutics Inc | $1.80 | 127.85% | 272.2M |
AERI | Aquila European Renewables PLC | $0.64 | -12.33% | 208.4M |
TXMD | TherapeuticsMD Inc | $1.54 | -34.75% | 17.8M |
RMTI | Rockwell Medical Inc | $4.09 | 109.74% | 124.0M |
ALIM | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
PRPH | ProPhase Labs Inc | $2.04 | -55.56% | 38.8M |
ADYX | Adynxx Inc | $0.00 | #N/A | 0.6K |
ZTS | Zoetis Inc | $171.06 | 2.33% | 77.5B |
AGN | Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc | $0.09 | 12.50% | 2.2M |
MYL | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
ELAN | Elanco Animal Health Inc | $12.90 | 20.56% | 6.4B |
CTLT | Catalent Inc | $59.83 | 71.83% | 10.9B |
TCDA | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
PCRX | Pacira Biosciences Inc | $17.69 | -41.58% | 816.0M |
IRWD | Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | $4.88 | -48.36% | 779.4M |
SUPN | Supernus Pharmaceuticals Inc | $37.91 | 58.89% | 2.1B |
AMRX | Amneal Pharmaceuticals Inc | $8.53 | 97.91% | 2.6B |
EGRX | Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc | $0.55 | -96.07% | 7.1M |
PETQ | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
CPRX | Catalyst Pharmaceuticals Inc | $22.80 | 77.43% | 2.7B |
FLXN | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
LCI | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
EOLS | Evolus Inc | $17.11 | 111.76% | 1.1B |
ORGO | Organogenesis Holdings Inc | $3.18 | 41.33% | 420.9M |
ABT | Abbott Laboratories | $116.37 | 22.75% | 202.5B |
MDT | Medtronic PLC | $89.25 | 23.14% | 114.5B |
SYK | Stryker Corp | $368.41 | 33.97% | 140.4B |
BSX | Boston Scientific Corporation | $86.37 | 65.55% | 127.3B |
EW | Edwards Lifesciences Corp | $65.83 | -1.05% | 39.7B |
ZBH | Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc | $110.24 | 4.07% | 21.9B |
ALGN | Align Technology, Inc. | $219.76 | 11.26% | 16.4B |
ABMD | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
NVCR | Novocure Ltd | $17.40 | 35.20% | 1.9B |
GMED | Globus Medical Inc | $81.08 | 75.54% | 11.0B |
NUVA | Noratis AG | $1.84 | -66.67% | 13.2M |
CNMD | Conmed Corp | $74.95 | -25.45% | 2.3B |
NVRO | Nevro Corp | $5.86 | -64.68% | 218.3M |
ITGR | Integer Holdings Corp | $134.46 | 53.51% | 4.5B |
PBH | Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc | $77.57 | 29.54% | 3.8B |
CSII | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
INSP | Inspire Medical Systems Inc | $203.47 | 25.80% | 6.1B |
SILK | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A |
Examples of Healthcare Stocks
Healthcare stocks can be a great addition to any investor’s portfolio, as the healthcare industry is relatively insulated from economic downturns and is expected to continue growing in the coming years. With an aging population and advancements in technology, the demand for healthcare services and products is likely to increase.
Below are some examples of Healthcare stocks and brief overviews of how the companies operate.
- UnitedHealth Group (UNH) – UnitedHealth Group is the largest healthcare company in the United States, with a market capitalization of over $300 billion. The company operates in three main segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum, and Ascension. UnitedHealthcare provides healthcare coverage to individuals and employer groups, while Optum offers healthcare services and technology solutions. Ascension is a Catholic healthcare system.
- Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) – Bristol-Myers Squibb is a pharmaceutical company that specializes in developing and commercializing drugs for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious illnesses. The company’s portfolio includes several blockbuster drugs, such as Eliquis and Opdivo. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a market capitalization of over $100 billion.
- AbbVie (ABBV) – AbbVie is a pharmaceutical company that was spun off from Abbott Labs in 2013. The company specializes in developing and commercializing drugs for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and other serious illnesses. AbbVie‘s portfolio includes several blockbuster drugs, such as Humira and Imbruvica. The company has a market capitalization of over $200 billion
- CVS Health (CVS) – CVS Health is one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers in the United States. The company operates over 9,000 retail pharmacy stores and manages prescription drug benefits for over 90 million people. CVS Health also operates a retail medical clinic business, MinuteClinic, and a pharmacy benefit management business, CVS Caremark. The company has a market capitalization of over $90 billion.
- HCA Healthcare (HCA) – HCA Healthcare is one of the largest healthcare providers in the United States, with over 180 hospitals and over 2,000 sites of care. The company operates in 21 states and the United Kingdom, and is focused on providing high-quality, cost-effective healthcare services. HCA Healthcare has a market capitalization of over $40 billion.
About the Healthcare Industry
The healthcare industry is a vast and diverse sector that encompasses a wide range of products and services related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illness and injury. It includes everything from biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, to medical devices and equipment, to hospitals and clinics, to insurance and managed care.
The healthcare industry is driven by a number of factors, including an aging population, advancements in medical technology, and increased access to healthcare. In addition, the industry is also influenced by government policies and regulations, such as the Affordable Care Act in the United States, which has led to an increase in the number of people with health insurance.
One of the major segments of the healthcare industry is the pharmaceuticals and biotechnology sector, which includes companies that research, develop, and market drugs and other medical products. This segment is responsible for creating new treatments for a wide range of diseases and conditions, and is a major contributor to the overall growth of the healthcare industry.
The medical devices and equipment segment of the healthcare industry includes companies that manufacture and market a wide range of products, such as surgical instruments, diagnostic equipment, and medical implants. This segment is also responsible for creating new technologies and products that improve patient care and outcomes.
Another important segment of the healthcare industry is the hospitals and clinics sector, which includes healthcare providers that offer inpatient and outpatient services, as well as long-term care facilities. This segment is responsible for providing a wide range of medical services to patients, and is a major source of employment in the healthcare industry.
The healthcare industry also includes a number of other segments, such as insurance and managed care, which provide coverage and financial protection for individuals and families, as well as health maintenance organizations, which manage healthcare services for large groups of people.
Overall, the healthcare industry is a vital and growing sector that plays a critical role in the well-being of individuals and society as a whole. It is expected to continue growing in the coming years, driven by an aging population, advances in medical technology, and increasing access to healthcare.
Factors to Consider Before Investing in Healthcare Stocks
As it is the case with other big sectors, the healthcare sector consists of three big groups:
- Healthcare providers – hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, senior living centers, etc.
- Payers – companies that provide healthcare coverage for individuals and groups
- Suppliers of Products and Services – drug companies, medical device makers, lab services, etc.
Different groups bring different levels of growth opportunities as well as risks.
One should also take notice of the aging population across the globe which provides a major boost for companies operating in this sector. However, not all stocks from this sector should be considered for investment.
As one of the biggest and most complex sectors, the healthcare sector offers a plethora of publicly-traded stocks for investment. When choosing stocks, pay attention to financials of a specific company. These include market caps, revenues, earnings per share, cash holdings, and more.
Which Healthcare Stocks Should I Buy?
In this industry, itโs always better to focus on bigger companies. You can rank companies by their market capitalization or dividends paid to their shareholders. The list below outlines the largest public healthcare companies.
Keep in mind that different stocks carry different levels of risk. Based on your investing style and risk tolerance, you may opt to invest in stocks with a higher chance for near-term growth, but also higher risks associated due to volatility of these stocks, or choose a more long-term approach and look for more undervalued stocks.
The healthcare stocks you invest in should align with your personal investment strategy.