Healthcare Stocks
Track 64 healthcare companies from the S&P 500 and NASDAQ 100 indices with historical returns, performance rankings, and investment analysis.
What's Driving Healthcare Stock Returns?
Updated: Nov 2026Healthcare has historically been a defensive sector, but recent years have seen dramatic divergence within the space. GLP-1 obesity drugs have created massive winners (Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk) while disrupting adjacent industries. Meanwhile, health insurers face margin pressure from rising medical costs and regulatory scrutiny.
Pharmaceuticals currently lead the sector with an average 1-year return of +49.3%, while Health Insurers lag at +42.6%. This reflects the market's enthusiasm for breakthrough therapeutics versus concerns about healthcare cost inflation.
Key themes driving returns: GLP-1/obesity drugs (LLY, NVO), oncology innovation, Medicare Advantage dynamics, and patent cliffs for legacy blockbusters. Biotech M&A has picked up as large pharma seeks to replenish pipelines.
Of the 64 healthcare stocks tracked, 51 delivered positive returns over the past year while 13 declined. The top performer, MRNA, returned +687.9%, while BSX was the weakest at -58.3%. The median healthcare stock returned +23.5%.
Top 5 by 1-Year Return
Healthcare Stocks Monthly Returns (Dec'25 – Nov'26)
Which healthcare stocks are winning? Use this heatmap to identify the best and worst performers, spot which months hurt or helped specific stocks, and compare volatility across the sector. Over the past 12 months, 46 stocks gained while 18 declined. The leader is MRNA at +753.4%; the laggard is BSX at -58.7%.
| Stock | Dec'25 | Jan'26 | Feb'26 | Mar'26 | Apr'26 | May'26 | Jun'26 | Jul'26 | Aug'26 | Sep'26 | Oct'26 | Nov'26 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRNA | +14% | +49% | +22% | -5% | -10% | +3% | +48% | -22% | +156% | +37% | +15% | — | +753.4% |
| CRL | +12% | +6% | -15% | -3% | -3% | +8% | +26% | +3% | +24% | +2% | +22% | — | +101.7% |
| VTRS | +16% | +5% | +14% | -9% | +11% | +10% | -2% | +11% | -5% | +7% | +7% | — | +82.3% |
| ILMN | -0% | +10% | -7% | -8% | +3% | +29% | +8% | +17% | +4% | +28% | -14% | — | +79.5% |
| CNC | +5% | +5% | +4% | -27% | +64% | +11% | +8% | -3% | +3% | -3% | +10% | — | +74.0% |
| HUM | +5% | -24% | -2% | -9% | +36% | +29% | +30% | -8% | +5% | -0% | +9% | — | +70.8% |
| DVA | -5% | -4% | +43% | -2% | +1% | +25% | +14% | +8% | -27% | -1% | +7% | — | +56.7% |
| RVTY | -7% | +13% | -10% | -11% | -1% | +21% | +6% | +1% | +14% | +19% | +3% | — | +50.7% |
| WST | -1% | -16% | +10% | -1% | +19% | +8% | +11% | -5% | +0% | +9% | +11% | — | +49.2% |
| MRK | +1% | +5% | +12% | -2% | -9% | +9% | +9% | +1% | +13% | -1% | +3% | — | +46.8% |
| BIIB | -3% | +2% | +7% | -4% | +3% | +4% | +10% | -6% | +7% | +4% | +12% | — | +39.3% |
| GILD | -2% | +16% | +5% | -6% | -6% | +3% | -5% | +3% | +12% | +2% | +15% | — | +39.0% |
| MOH | +17% | +3% | -14% | -13% | +46% | -11% | +32% | -14% | +2% | -5% | +8% | — | +38.1% |
| AMGN | -5% | +4% | +14% | -9% | -2% | -2% | +8% | +6% | +12% | -2% | +11% | — | +37.7% |
| LH | -7% | +8% | +7% | -8% | -4% | +2% | +8% | +10% | +8% | -7% | +17% | — | +35.5% |
| DGX | -8% | +8% | +13% | -8% | -0% | +0% | +9% | +10% | +3% | -3% | +8% | — | +35.3% |
| JNJ | +0% | +10% | +10% | -2% | -6% | -1% | +13% | +1% | +4% | -0% | +3% | — | +34.2% |
| ABBV | +0% | -2% | +4% | -6% | -2% | +3% | +16% | +0% | +2% | +2% | +13% | — | +33.4% |
| BDX | +1% | +5% | +10% | -10% | -5% | -1% | +4% | +9% | +14% | -4% | +11% | — | +33.0% |
| BMY | +10% | +3% | +13% | -3% | +1% | -6% | +1% | +15% | +2% | -7% | +1% | — | +32.6% |
| LLY | -0% | -3% | +2% | -13% | +2% | +18% | +9% | -4% | +1% | +0% | +23% | — | +32.5% |
| DXCM | +5% | +10% | +1% | -14% | -5% | +24% | -9% | +24% | +9% | -5% | -5% | — | +29.6% |
| VRTX | +5% | +4% | +6% | -10% | -4% | +5% | +11% | -4% | +14% | -4% | +7% | — | +28.9% |
| UNH | +1% | -13% | +2% | -7% | +37% | +3% | +10% | -0% | -6% | -5% | +11% | — | +26.7% |
| ELV | +4% | -1% | -7% | -8% | +29% | +4% | -1% | -3% | +4% | -1% | +8% | — | +26.7% |
| ··· 14 stocks in middle ··· | |||||||||||||
| MCK | -7% | +1% | +19% | -12% | -6% | -9% | +2% | +13% | +3% | -3% | +16% | — | +13.3% |
| TECH | -9% | +9% | -8% | -11% | +6% | -6% | +37% | +2% | +0% | +0% | +0% | — | +13.1% |
| CI | -0% | -0% | +6% | -7% | +9% | -5% | -0% | +1% | -1% | -1% | +10% | — | +10.0% |
| EW | -2% | -5% | +6% | -7% | +4% | +4% | +5% | -5% | +5% | -5% | +7% | — | +6.2% |
| DHR | +1% | -4% | -4% | -10% | -6% | +2% | +4% | +2% | +10% | +4% | +5% | — | +3.2% |
| ALGN | +6% | +4% | +17% | -10% | +3% | -1% | -4% | +0% | -6% | -9% | +3% | — | +1.8% |
| HOLX | -1% | +1% | +1% | +0% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | +0.9% |
| ZBH | -8% | -3% | +13% | -8% | -9% | -0% | +5% | +9% | +7% | -11% | +6% | — | -2.0% |
| GEHC | +3% | -4% | +7% | -16% | -14% | +2% | +3% | +6% | +5% | -8% | +17% | — | -4.1% |
| SOLV | -7% | -3% | -4% | -12% | +3% | +11% | +3% | +11% | +7% | -3% | -8% | — | -4.6% |
| MDT | -8% | +7% | -5% | -11% | -7% | -9% | +7% | +9% | +6% | -4% | +12% | — | -5.3% |
| HCA | -8% | +5% | +8% | -11% | -8% | -13% | +3% | +3% | +3% | +3% | +11% | — | -6.3% |
| RMD | -6% | +7% | -1% | -12% | -5% | -11% | +2% | +8% | +14% | -8% | +4% | — | -9.4% |
| COR | -8% | +6% | +4% | -16% | -2% | -12% | +5% | +10% | +4% | -7% | +10% | — | -9.8% |
| NUVL | -8% | +2% | -1% | -5% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -11.8% |
| STE | -5% | +4% | -4% | -12% | -2% | -2% | -1% | +8% | +2% | -9% | +8% | — | -14.0% |
| ABT | -3% | -12% | +6% | -12% | -11% | -6% | +6% | +17% | +4% | -10% | +8% | — | -15.6% |
| SYK | -5% | +5% | +5% | -15% | -4% | -3% | +3% | +3% | -1% | -15% | +6% | — | -20.5% |
| COO | +5% | -1% | +3% | -15% | -12% | -3% | +17% | +1% | -3% | -19% | +5% | — | -23.6% |
| ISRG | -1% | -11% | -0% | -8% | -1% | -7% | -6% | -11% | +7% | +8% | +6% | — | -24.7% |
| IDXX | -10% | -1% | -2% | -14% | -0% | +0% | -7% | +6% | -0% | -6% | +6% | — | -26.8% |
| UHS | -10% | -8% | +2% | -13% | -6% | -13% | +2% | +13% | +1% | +2% | +1% | — | -27.4% |
| ZTS | -2% | -0% | +5% | -10% | -2% | -32% | -8% | +8% | -0% | -9% | +15% | — | -36.4% |
| PODD | -13% | -10% | -4% | -15% | -18% | -16% | +5% | +9% | -10% | -12% | +15% | — | -54.3% |
| BSX | -6% | -2% | -18% | -18% | -8% | -16% | -12% | +9% | +3% | -10% | -4% | — | -58.7% |
All Healthcare Stocks
The table below lists all 64 healthcare stocks sorted by market capitalization. The three largest — LLY, JNJ, ABBV — represent 35% of the sector's total $6.9T market cap. Over five years, 35 of these stocks have delivered positive returns.
| Stock | Market Cap | 1Y Return | 5Y Return | 10Y Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LLY Eli Lilly and | $1.3T | +68.9% | +505.3% | +2018.5% |
| JNJ Johnson & Johnson | $658B | +47.8% | +91.5% | +216.1% |
| ABBV AbbVie Inc. | $521B | +33.1% | +224.6% | +626.8% |
| MRK Merck & Co., | $369B | +78.4% | +113.4% | +247.5% |
| UNH UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | $365B | +21.2% | -0.9% | +230.7% |
| TMO Thermo Fisher Scientific | $258B | +25.8% | +16.3% | +375.9% |
| AMGN Amgen Inc. | $252B | +64.0% | +162.2% | +296.1% |
| GILD Gilead Sciences, Inc. | $212B | +47.7% | +201.4% | +227.2% |
| ABT Abbott Laboratories | $184B | -12.7% | -7.3% | +216.5% |
| PFE Pfizer Inc. | $174B | +34.5% | -7.8% | +57.5% |
| DHR Danaher Corporation | $163B | +8.8% | -12.2% | +243.9% |
| ISRG Intuitive Surgical, Inc. | $153B | -18.5% | +25.7% | +473.4% |
| VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | $142B | +33.1% | +202.1% | +592.0% |
| BMY Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | $128B | +43.0% | +32.9% | +78.3% |
| MDT Medtronic plc | $123B | +9.6% | -8.3% | +49.9% |
| MCK McKesson Corporation | $116B | +20.9% | +391.9% | +566.4% |
| CVS CVS Health Corporation | $115B | +21.3% | +21.7% | +40.9% |
| SYK Stryker Corporation | $111B | -20.0% | +12.7% | +186.6% |
| HCA HCA Healthcare, Inc. | $99B | +2.1% | +104.1% | +526.1% |
| REGN Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | $96B | +42.6% | +62.6% | +157.7% |
| ELV Elevance Health, Inc. | $91B | +33.1% | +4.0% | +290.4% |
| MRNA Moderna, Inc. | $89B | +687.9% | -36.6% | N/A |
| CI The Cigna Group | $79B | +23.4% | +51.8% | +167.2% |
| COR Cencora, Inc. | $63B | -2.3% | +186.8% | +453.6% |
| BSX Boston Scientific Corporation | $61B | -58.3% | -5.6% | +84.0% |
| CAH Cardinal Health, Inc. | $58B | +33.2% | +469.0% | +338.8% |
| BDX Becton, Dickinson and | $54B | +43.8% | +14.5% | +75.3% |
| EW Edwards Lifesciences Corporation | $53B | +10.2% | -21.6% | +134.6% |
| HUM Humana Inc. | $50B | +47.0% | -5.9% | +156.6% |
| A Agilent Technologies, Inc. | $49B | +22.9% | +14.5% | +314.7% |
| WAT Waters Corporation | $45B | +34.9% | +26.2% | +196.3% |
| IQV IQVIA Holdings Inc. | $44B | +23.5% | +3.9% | +261.2% |
| IDXX IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. | $43B | -12.3% | -15.5% | +398.9% |
| BIIB Biogen Inc. | $37B | +69.5% | -6.0% | -12.7% |
| ILMN Illumina, Inc. | $36B | +138.3% | -42.4% | +71.1% |
| GEHC GE HealthCare Technologies | $35B | +2.3% | N/A | N/A |
| CNC Centene Corporation | $34B | +95.5% | +0.7% | +120.5% |
| MTD Mettler-Toledo International Inc. | $34B | +21.6% | +13.9% | +311.3% |
| ZTS Zoetis Inc. | $33B | -43.2% | -59.9% | +72.0% |
| RMD ResMed Inc. | $32B | -7.9% | -10.2% | +303.1% |
| DXCM DexCom, Inc. | $31B | +20.7% | -42.1% | +308.0% |
| LH Labcorp Holdings Inc. | $29B | +44.7% | +57.8% | +219.7% |
| WST West Pharmaceutical Services, | $29B | +48.6% | +0.1% | +495.9% |
| DGX Quest Diagnostics Incorporated | $28B | +45.7% | +91.3% | +266.3% |
| INCY Incyte Corporation | $25B | +30.0% | +80.4% | +37.2% |
| STE STERIS plc | $22B | -3.0% | +1.1% | +268.2% |
| VTRS Viatris Inc. | $22B | +90.3% | +70.3% | -35.6% |
| ZBH Zimmer Biomet Holdings, | $18B | -4.0% | -32.6% | -17.0% |
| RVTY Revvity, Inc. | $18B | +72.9% | -10.3% | +206.4% |
| CRL Charles River Laboratories | $17B | +100.7% | -15.2% | +337.6% |
| HOLX Hologic, Inc. | $17B | +23.1% | +5.5% | +120.3% |
| SOLV Solventum Corporation | $14B | +17.4% | N/A | N/A |
| BAX Baxter International Inc. | $12B | +20.3% | -68.8% | -44.3% |
| DVA DaVita Inc. | $12B | +57.9% | +64.7% | +207.6% |
| TECH Bio-Techne Corporation | $11B | +19.9% | -41.8% | +193.8% |
| COO The Cooper Companies, | $11B | -15.1% | -42.6% | +33.4% |
| MOH Molina Healthcare, Inc. | $11B | +35.5% | -31.2% | +244.2% |
| ALGN Align Technology, Inc. | $11B | +8.3% | -74.6% | +67.5% |
| PODD Insulet Corporation | $10B | -52.0% | -50.5% | +273.4% |
| UHS Universal Health Services, | $10B | -19.1% | +35.1% | +48.8% |
| BIO Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. | $10B | +22.2% | -51.7% | +128.2% |
| HSIC Henry Schein, Inc. | $9B | +34.9% | +11.4% | +41.9% |
| NUVL Nuvalent, Inc. | $8B | +23.7% | N/A | N/A |
| TFX Teleflex Incorporated | $6B | +13.2% | -61.5% | -11.3% |
About Healthcare Stocks
The healthcare sector represents 64 companies in our US market coverage, with a combined market capitalization of $6.9T. These stocks span pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, health insurance, and healthcare services.
The sector is anchored by mega-caps: LLY ($1.3T), JNJ ($658B), and ABBV ($521B) together account for 35% of the sector's total market value.
Industry Performance Breakdown
Other Key Healthcare Industries
Investing in Healthcare Stocks
Healthcare is traditionally a defensive sector with relatively stable demand regardless of economic conditions. However, individual stocks can be highly volatile based on drug trial results, FDA approvals, and patent expirations.
For diversified exposure, investors often consider the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV), which provides broad healthcare sector coverage in a single investment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Healthcare Stocks
What are the best healthcare stocks?
The top-performing healthcare stock over the past year is MRNA with a return of +687.9%. The sector includes 64 companies with a combined market cap of $6.9T. Over five years, 35 of these stocks have delivered positive returns.
How has the healthcare sector performed?
Healthcare stocks have an average 1-year return of +36.7% and an average 5-year return of +42.8%. Over the past year, 51 stocks gained while 13 declined. The median healthcare stock returned +23.5%, reflecting the sector's mixed performance across sub-industries.
What is the difference between pharma, biotech, and health insurance stocks?
Pharmaceutical companies (LLY, MRK, PFE) develop and sell approved drugs with predictable revenue. Biotech firms (AMGN, GILD, VRTX) focus on cutting-edge therapies with higher risk/reward profiles. Health insurers (UNH, ELV, CI) earn revenue from premiums and managed care. Currently, Pharmaceuticals leads at +49.3% average 1-year return, while Health Insurers lags at +42.6%.
What are the best healthcare ETFs?
The most popular healthcare ETF is XLV (Health Care Select Sector SPDR), which provides broad exposure to S&P 500 healthcare companies. Other options include VHT (Vanguard Health Care), IBB (iShares Biotechnology) for biotech-focused exposure, and IHI (iShares Medical Devices) for medical technology.
Is the healthcare sector recession-proof?
Healthcare is traditionally considered a defensive sector because people need medical care regardless of economic conditions. However, individual stocks can be highly volatile based on drug trial results, FDA approvals, and patent expirations. Health insurers are sensitive to medical cost trends, while biotech stocks can swing dramatically on clinical data.