COP vs UNH: Which Is the Better Buy?

Side-by-side comparison of ConocoPhillips and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated โ€” fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals. Updated 2026-07-17.
ConocoPhillips ยท Energy
$108.44
-21.6% upside to fair value
Grade D
VS
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated ยท Healthcare
$423.38
+45.0% upside to fair value
Grade B High Quality
QuantHub Verdict
UNH has more upside to fair value (+45.0%). COP trades at a lower forward P/E (18.4x). These are model outputs โ€” not personalized investment advice. See all research โ†’
Valuation & Fundamentals
Metric COP UNH
Current Price $108.44 $423.38
Fair Value Estimate $85.04 $613.90
Upside to Fair Value -21.6% +45.0%
Market Cap $132.1B $384.5B
Forward P/E 18.4x 27.2x
EV / EBITDA 6.1x 13.8x
Price / Sales 2.3x 0.8x
Price / FCF 8.6x 19.6x
Revenue Growth YoY -2.5% +0.4%
Gross Margin 29.2% 18.8%
Operating Margin 18.3% 4.2%
Return on Equity 11.3% 12.4%
Dividend Yield 0% 0%
FCF Yield 11.64% 5.12%
Analyst Consensus Strong Buy Strong Buy
Investment Thesis
COP โ€” ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips is a major player in the Energy sector focused on Oil & Gas Exploration & Production. The company demonstrates medium business quality with a stable competitive position but faces earnings pressure as reflected in a 23.4% decline in earnings and a 2.5% decline in revenue in the most recent quarter year-over-year. Despite a solid ROE of 11.3% and attractive margins (gross margin 29.โ€ฆ
UNH โ€” UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates in the healthcare sector, specifically within medical and healthcare plans, providing a durable business model supported by a strong competitive moat and consistent earnings growth. The company currently trades at a price of $423.38 with a market cap of $359.873 billion, reflecting a valuation that is cheap relative to its five-year history, supported by aโ€ฆ
Accumulation Zones
Metric COP UNH
Zone Low $63.78 $460.42
Zone High $72.28 $521.81
In Buy Zone? No Yes
โ† COP Research    UNH Research โ†’    All Research