The best health stocks depend on your portfolio and investment goals — while volatility can be ideal for day traders, long-term investors will want to look to stocks with steadier gains over time.
The top health stocks included on this page all trade on the S&P 500, have an analyst recommendation of "Buy" or better and are sorted by year-to-date performance.
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Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals in the United States, Europe, China, Japan, and internationally. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity. It also provides oncology products, including Alimta, Cyramza, Erbitux, Jaypirca, Retevmo, Tyvyt, and Verzenio.
Eli Lilly and Company stock opened the day at $820.00 after a previous close of $822.51. The latest price was $822.51 (25-minute delay). Eli Lilly and Company is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD45 billion and employs 47,000 staff.
Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease. The Diabetes and Obesity care segment provides products for diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular, and other emerging therapy areas.
Novo Nordisk A/S stock opened the day at $70.17 after a previous close of $69.30. The latest price was $69.30 (25-minute delay). Novo Nordisk A/S is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$290.4 billion and employs 76,302 staff.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a health care company in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated stock opened the day at $516.87 after a previous close of $516.04. The latest price was $516.04 (25-minute delay). UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$400.3 billion and employs 400,000 staff.
Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of various products in the healthcare field worldwide. It operates in two segments, Innovative Medicine and MedTech. The Innovative Medicine segment offers products for various therapeutic areas, such as immunology, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis; infectious diseases comprising HIV/AIDS; neuroscience, consisting of mood disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and schizophrenia; oncology, such as prostate cancer, hematologic malignancies, lung cancer, and bladder cancer; cardiovascular and metabolism, including thrombosis, diabetes, and macular degeneration; and pulmonary hypertension comprising pulmonary arterial hypertension through retailers, wholesalers, distributors, hospitals, and healthcare professionals for prescription use.
Johnson-and-Johnson stock opened the day at $163.59 after a previous close of $163.71. The latest price was $163.71 (25-minute delay). Johnson-and-Johnson is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$88.8 billion and employs 138,100 staff.
Merck & Co. , Inc. operates as a healthcare company worldwide.
Merck-and-Company stock opened the day at $88.20 after a previous close of $89.23. The latest price was $89.23 (25-minute delay). Merck-and-Company is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$64.2 billion and employs 73,000 staff.