The healthcare sector is large and complex. Investors must be wary of governmental regulations and political shifts before allocating funds.
What are healthcare stocks?
Healthcare stocks belong to the healthcare sector of the stock market — one of 11 sectors defined by the Global Industry Classification Standard. Companies within the healthcare sector provide medical services, including insurance, medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. The healthcare sector is large, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the overall gross domestic product (GDP) within the US. The healthcare sector is also complex, given government and professional licensing regulations, research costs and the rapid evolution of the medical field.
What subcategories does it include?
The healthcare sector can be further divided into the following major industries:
Healthcare facilities. These include hospitals, clinics, laboratories, mental health facilities and nursing homes.
Health insurance. Companies responsible for providing and underwriting health insurance policies also belong to the healthcare sector.
Medical equipment. Medical equipment providers design and manufacture equipment used across the sector, from CT scanners to surgical gloves.
Pharmaceuticals. Biotech firms and major pharmaceutical firms work to research, develop and distribute generic and name-brand drugs.
How to invest in the healthcare sector
There are two ways to invest in the healthcare sector: individual stocks or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Individual stocks offer targeted investment opportunities but have limited market exposure. Sector-tracking ETFs are more diverse and less risky than individual stocks but are accompanied by expense ratios. Before you can invest, you’ll need a brokerage account. Here’s how the investment process works:
Pick a platform. Online brokerages are plentiful, so conduct your own research to find the platform best suited to your investment goals.
Open an account. If you opt for a web-based brokerage account, you can complete the application process online.
Fund your account. Before you can purchase securities, fund your account with an external transfer.
Select your securities. Search for stocks and ETFs by sector using your platform’s research tools.
Place an order. Once you’ve found a security you’d like to purchase, indicate how many you’d like to buy and submit your order.
Monitor your investments. Log in to your brokerage account to track your investments.
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What stocks are in the healthcare sector?
See how the following stocks are performing, and view details like market capitalization, the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio and dividend yield.
Company summary
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. develops and commercializes various therapeutic products. The company offers ULTOMIRIS for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS); and SOLIRIS for the treatment of PNH, aHUS, generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). It also provides Strensiq for patients with hypophosphatasia; Kanuma (sebelipase alfa) for the treatment of patients with lysosomal acid lipase deficiency; and Andexxa, a reversal agent for patients treated with rivaroxaban or apixaban. In addition, the company is developing ALXN1210 (Intravenous) that is in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of gMG, NMOSD, ALS, COVID-19, and HSCT-TMA; ALXN1210 (Subcutaneous), which is in Phase III clinical trials for PNH and aHUS; ALXN1820 that is in Phase I clinical trial, a therapeutic antagonist of properdin; and ALXN1720, which is in Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of disease states involving dysregulated terminal complement activity. Further, it is developing ALXN1840 that is in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of Wilson disease; ALXN1830, which are in Phase I clinical trials for neonatal Fc receptor; ALXN2040 and ALXN2050 to treat diseases associated with dysregulation of the complement alternative pathway; ALXN1850, an enzyme replacement therapy; ALXN2060 for treating transthyretin amyloidosis; and ALXN2075 for treatment of relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The company serves distributors, pharmacies, hospital, hospital buying groups, and other healthcare providers in the United States and internationally. The company was incorporated in 1992 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts with an additional office in Switzerland. As of July 21, 2021, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of AstraZeneca PLC.
Align Technology, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets Invisalign clear aligners, Vivera retainers, and iTero intraoral scanners and services in the United States, Switzerland, and internationally. The Clear Aligner segment offers comprehensive products, including Invisalign comprehensive package to treat adults and teens from mild to severe malocclusion and features, and orthodontic needs of teenage or younger patients; and Invisalign First Phase I and Invisalign First Comprehensive Phase 2 package for younger patients generally between the ages of six and ten years with a mixture of primary/baby and permanent teeth. This segment also provides Invisalign express, Invisalign lite, and Invisalign moderate; as well as Invisalign Go, Invisalign Go express, and Invisalign Go Plus; retention products, Invisalign training, adjusting tools used by dental professionals during treatment, ancillary Invisalign accessory products, and other oral health products; Invisalign Professional Whitening system; Invisalign Palatal Expander, a 3D printed orthodontic device; and 3D printing solutions. The Imaging Systems and CAD/CAM Services segment offers iTero intraoral scanning system, a single hardware platform for restorative or orthodontic procedures; exocad, a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software; orthodontist software for digital records storage, orthodontic diagnosis, and fabrication of printed models and retainers; and restorative software for general practitioner dentists, prosthodontists, periodontists, and oral surgeons. This segment also provides Invisalign outcome simulator, a chair-side and cloud-based application for the iTero scanner; Invisalign progress assessment tool; Align Oral Health Suite, a digital interface for dental consultations; iTero TimeLapse technology for doctors or practitioners to compare a patient's historic 3D scans to the present-day scan; and subscription software, disposables, rents scanners, and pay per scan services. The company was incorporated in 1997
Anthem, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a health benefits company in the United States. It operates through four segments: Commercial & Specialty Business, Government Business, IngenioRx, and Other. The company offers a spectrum of network-based managed care health benefit plans to large and small groups, individuals, Medicaid, and Medicare markets. Its managed care plans include preferred provider organizations; health maintenance organizations; point-of-service plans; traditional indemnity plans and other hybrid plans, including consumer-driven health plans; and hospital only and limited benefit products. The company also provides a range of managed care services to self-funded customers, including claims processing, underwriting, stop loss insurance, actuarial services, provider network access, medical management, disease management, wellness programs, and other administrative services. In addition, it offers an array of specialty and other insurance products and services, such as pharmacy benefits management, dental, vision, life and disability insurance benefits, and analytics-driven personal health care. Further, the company provides services to the federal government in connection with the Federal Employee Program; and operates as a licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. As of December 31, 2021, it served 45 million medical members through its affiliated health plans. The company was formerly known as WellPoint, Inc. and changed its name to Anthem, Inc. in December 2014. Anthem, Inc. was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Cigna Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance and related products and services in the United States. Its Evernorth Health Services segment provides a range of coordinated and point solution health services, including pharmacy benefits, home delivery pharmacy, specialty pharmacy, distribution, and care delivery and management solutions to health plans, employers, government organizations, and health care providers. The company's Cigna Healthcare segment offers medical, pharmacy, behavioral health, dental, and other products and services for insured and self-insured customers; Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Medicare Part D plans for seniors, as well as individual health insurance plans; and health care coverage in its international markets, as well as health care benefits for mobile individuals and employees of multinational organizations. In addition, it offers permanent insurance contracts sold to corporations to provide coverage on the lives of certain employees for financing employer-paid future benefit obligations and stop loss insurance. The company distributes its products and services through insurance brokers and consultants; directly to employers, unions and other groups, or individuals; and private and public exchanges. The company was formerly known as Cigna Corporation and changed its name to The Cigna Group in February 2023. The company was founded in 1792 and is headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut.
Gilead Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and commercializes medicines for virology, oncology and other therapeutic areas in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers Biktarvy, Genvoya, Descovy, Odefsey, Complera/Eviplera, Symtuza, Truvada, Stribild, and Sunlenca products for the treatment of HIV-1 infection; Veklury, an injection for intravenous use for the treatment of COVID-19; and Epclusa, Vemlidy, Harvoni, Viread, and Livdelzi for the treatment of liver disease. It also provides Yescarta, Tecartus, and Trodelvy products for the treatment of oncology; Letairis, an oral formulation for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; and AmBisome, a liposomal formulation for the treatment of serious invasive fungal infections. In addition, the company's portfolio of market products includes Atripla, Cayston, Descovy for PrEP, Emtriva, Hepcludex, Hepsera, Jyseleca, Sovaldi, Truvada for PrEP, Tybost, Vosevi, and Zydelig. It has collaboration agreements with Arcellx, Inc.; Merck & Co., Inc.; Arcus Biosciences, Inc.; Galapagos NV; Janssen Sciences Ireland Unlimited Company; Everest Medicines; Abingworth LLP; and LEO Pharma to develop, manufacture, and commercialize the small molecule oral STAT6 program. The company was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Foster City, California.
GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research, development, and manufacture of vaccines, and specialty and general medicines to prevent and treat disease in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Commercial Operations and Total R&D. The company offers shingles, meningitis, respiratory syncytial virus, polio, influenza, and pandemic vaccines. It also provides medicines for HIV, oncology, respiratory/immunology, and other specialty medicine products, as well as inhaled medicines for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and antibiotics for infections. It has a collaboration agreement with CureVac to develop mRNA-based influenza vaccines, and Relation Therapeutics, using their Lab in the Loop platform to discover novel targets for osteoarthritis, systemic sclerosis and other fibrotic mechanisms, supporting data-tech driven approach in respiratory, immunology and inflammation; and multi-target strategic alliance with GSK to develop breakthrough treatments for people afflicted with Parkinson's disease; as well as collaboration with Flagship Pioneering to discover novel medicines and vaccines. The company was formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline plc and changed its name to GSK plc in May 2022. GSK plc was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
HCA Healthcare, Inc., through its subsidiaries, owns and operates hospitals and related healthcare entities in the United States. It operates general and acute care hospitals that offers medical and surgical services, including inpatient care, intensive care, cardiac care, diagnostic, and emergency services; and outpatient services, such as outpatient surgery, laboratory, radiology, respiratory therapy, cardiology, and physical therapy. The company also operates outpatient health care facilities consisting of freestanding ambulatory surgery centers, freestanding emergency care facilities, urgent care facilities, walk-in clinics, diagnostic and imaging centers, rehabilitation and physical therapy centers, radiation and oncology therapy centers, physician practices, and various other facilities. In addition, it operates behavioral hospitals, which provide therapeutic programs comprising child, adolescent and adult psychiatric care, adolescent and adult alcohol, drug abuse treatment, and counseling services. The company was formerly known as HCA Holdings, Inc. HCA Healthcare, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.
Humana Inc. provides medical and specialty insurance products in the United States. It operates in two segments, Insurance and CenterWell. It offers medical care and supplemental benefit plans to individuals. The company also has a contract with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to administer the Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition prescription drug plan program; and contracts with various states to provide Medicaid, dual eligible, and long-term support services benefits. In addition, it provides commercial fully-insured medical and specialty health insurance benefits comprising dental, vision, and other supplemental health benefits, as well as administrative services only products to individuals and employer groups; and military services, such as TRICARE T2017 East Region contract. Further, the company engages in the operation of pharmacy benefit manager business; operates pharmacies and senior focused primary care centers; and offers home solutions services, such as home health, hospice, and other services to its health plan members, as well as to third parties. It sells its products through employers and employees, independent brokers and agents, sales representatives, and digital insurance agencies. The company was formerly known as Extendicare Inc. and changed its name to Humana Inc. in April 1974. Humana Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets products that enable physicians and healthcare providers to enhance the quality of and access to minimally invasive care in the United States and internationally. The company offers the da Vinci Surgical System that enables surgical procedures using a minimally invasive approach; and Ion endoluminal system, which extends its commercial offerings beyond surgery into diagnostic endoluminal procedures enabling minimally invasive biopsies in the lung. It also provides a suite of stapling, energy, and core instrumentation for its multi-port da Vinci surgical systems; progressive learning pathways to support the use of its technology; infrastructure of service and support specialists, a complement of services to its customers, including installation, repair, maintenance, 24/7 technical support, and proactive system health monitoring; and integrated digital capabilities providing connected offerings, streamlining performance for hospitals with program-enhancing insights. The company sells its products through direct sales organizations, such as capital and clinical sales teams. Intuitive Surgical, Inc. was incorporated in 1995 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Labcorp Holdings Inc. provides laboratory services. It operates through two segments, Diagnostics Laboratories and Biopharma Laboratory Services. The company offers various tests, such as blood chemistry analyses, urinalyses, blood cell counts, thyroid, PAP, hemoglobin A1C, prostate-specific antigens, sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis C, vitamin D, microbiology cultures and procedures, and alcohol and other substance-abuse tests. It also provides specialty testing services comprising gene-based and esoteric testing; advanced tests target specific diseases; services related to anatomic pathology/oncology, cardiovascular disease, coagulation, diagnostic genetics, endocrinology, infectious disease, women's health, pharmacogenetics, parentage and donor testing, occupational testing services, medical drug monitoring services, chronic disease programs, and kidney stone prevention tests; and health and wellness services to employers and managed care organizations (MCOs). In addition, the company offers online and mobile applications that enable patients to check offerings, schedule PSC visits, check-in upon PSC arrival, complete documentation, access tests and test results, and manage their accounts; online applications for providers, MCOs, and accountable care organizations; specimen collection services; and drug development, medical device, and companion diagnostic development solutions, as well as support for crop protection and chemical testing. It serves pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and diagnostics companies; and MCOs, employer plans, other health insurance providers, governments, physician, large provider organizations, other healthcare providers, hospitals and health systems, patients and consumers, crop protection and chemical companies, academic institutions, independent clinical laboratories, and retailers. The company was founded in 1995 is headquartered in Burlington, North Carolina.
Medtronic plc develops, manufactures, and sells device-based medical therapies to healthcare systems, physicians, clinicians, and patients worldwide. The Cardiovascular Portfolio segment offers implantable cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices; cardiac ablation products; insertable cardiac monitor systems; TYRX products; and remote monitoring and patient-centered software. It also provides aortic valves, surgical valve replacement and repair products, endovascular stent grafts and accessories, and transcatheter pulmonary valves; and percutaneous coronary intervention products, percutaneous angioplasty balloons, and other products. The Neuroscience Portfolio segment offers medical devices and implants, biologic solutions, spinal cord stimulation and brain modulation systems, implantable drug infusion systems, and interventional products, as well as nerve ablation system under the Accurian name. The segment offers its products for spinal surgeons, neurosurgeons, neurologists, pain management specialists, anesthesiologists, orthopedic surgeons, urologists, urogynecologists, and interventional radiologists, as well as ear, nose, and throat specialists; and energy surgical instruments. The Medical Surgical Portfolio segment offers surgical stapling devices, vessel sealing instruments, wound closure and electrosurgery products, AI-powered surgical video and analytics platform, robotic-assisted surgery products, hernia mechanical devices, mesh implants, gynecology products, gastrointestinal and hepatologic diagnostics and therapies, and therapies to treat other non-exclusive diseases and conditions; and patient monitoring and airway management products. The Diabetes Operating Unit segment provides insulin pumps and consumables, continuous glucose monitoring systems, and InPen, a smart insulin pen system. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Galway, Ireland.
Novartis AG engages in the research, development, manufacture, distribution, marketing, and sale of pharmaceutical medicines in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers Entresto, an angiotensin receptorneprilysin inhibitor for the treatment of symptomatic chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF); Cosentyx to treat plaque psoriasis, pso riatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and nonradiographic axial spondy loarthritis; Kisqali, a selective oral cyclin dependent inhibitor of kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6); Promacta/Revolade to treat immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), thrombocytopenia, and patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA); Tafinlar+Mekinist, an oral combination therapy to treat patients with certain types of cancers; and Jakavi for the treatment of myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera, and acute or chronic graftversushost disease (GvHD). It also provides Tasigna to treat philadelphia chromosomepositive chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic and/or accelerated phase; Xolair for the treatment of allergic asthma and nasal polyps or severe chronic rhinosi nusitis with nasal polyps; Ilaris to treat fever syndromes, Still's disease, and acute gouty arthritis; Pluvicto to treat prostatespecific membrane anti genpositive metastatic castrationresistant prostate cancer; Sandostatin SC and Sandostatin LAR to treat acromegaly carcinoid tumors and other types of functional gastro intestinal and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors; Zolgensma for the treatment of genetic root cause of spinal muscular atrophy; Lucentis; Leqvio to reduce LDL cholesterol; Lutathera; Scemblix; and Fabhalta. The company focuses on therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, oncology, and hematology. It has a license and collaboration agreement with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop, manufacture, and commercialize Leqvio (inclisiran), a therapy to reduce LDL cholesterol. Novartis AG was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. discovers, invents, develops, manufactures, and commercializes medicines for treating various diseases worldwide. The company's products include EYLEA injection to treat wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema; myopic choroidal neovascularization; diabetic retinopathy; neovascular glaucoma; and retinopathy of prematurity. It also provides Dupixent injection to treat atopic dermatitis and asthma in adults and pediatrics; Libtayo injection to treat metastatic or locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma; Praluent injection for heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) or clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in adults; REGEN-COV for covid-19; and Kevzara solution for treating rheumatoid arthritis in adults. In addition, the company offers Inmazeb injection for infection caused by Zaire ebolavirus; ARCALYST injection for cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes, including familial cold auto-inflammatory syndrome and muckle-wells syndrome; and ZALTRAP injection for intravenous infusion to treat metastatic colorectal cancer; Evkeeza for treatment of HoFH; Ordspono for Follicular lymphoma and Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; and Veopoz for CD55-deficient protein-losing enteropathy. Further, it develops product candidates for treating patients with eye, allergic and inflammatory, cardiovascular and metabolic, infectious, and rare diseases; and cancer, pain, and hematologic conditions. It has collaboration with Mammoth Biosciences, Inc. to research, develop and commercialize in vivo CRISPR-based gene editing therapies for multiple tissues and cell types; and with Sonoma Biotherapeutics, Inc. to discover, develop, and commercialize engineered regulatory T cell therapies. The company was incorporated in 1988 and is headquartered in Tarrytown, New York.
Teladoc Health, Inc. provides virtual healthcare services worldwide. The company operates through Teladoc Health Integrated Care and BetterHelp segments. The Integrated Care segment offers virtual medical services, including general medical, expert medical, specialty medical, chronic condition management, and mental health, as well as enabling technologies and enterprise telehealth solutions for hospitals and health systems. The BetterHelp segment operates a mental health platform that provides online counseling and therapy services through website, mobile applications, phones, and text-based interactions by its licensed clinicians. The company offers its products and services under the Teladoc, Livongo, and BetterHelp brands. It serves employers, health plans, hospitals and health systems, and insurance and financial services companies, as well as individual members. The company was formerly known as Teladoc, Inc. and changed its name to Teladoc Health, Inc. in August 2018. Teladoc Health, Inc. was incorporated in 2002 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York.
Teleflex Incorporated designs, develops, manufactures, and supplies single-use medical devices for common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in critical care and surgical applications worldwide. It provides vascular access products that comprise Arrow branded catheters, catheter navigation and tip positioning systems, and intraosseous bone access systems for the administration of intravenous therapies, the measurement of blood pressure, and the collection of blood samples. The company also offers interventional products, including various coronary catheters, structural heart support devices, peripheral intervention products, and mechanical circulatory support platform; and Arrow branded intra-aortic balloon pumps and catheters, Guideliner, Turnpike, and Trapliner catheters, the Manta Vascular Closure, and Arrow Oncontrol devices. It provides anesthesia products, such as airway, pain management, and hemostatic products to support hospital, emergency medicine, and military channels; and surgical products, including metal and polymer ligating clips, and fascial closure surgical systems that are used in laparoscopic surgical procedures, percutaneous surgical systems, and other surgical instruments. The company also offers interventional urology products comprising the UroLift System, an invasive technology for treating lower urinary tract symptoms; respiratory products, including oxygen and aerosol therapies, spirometry, and ventilation management products for use in various care settings; urology products, such as catheters, urine collectors, and catheterization accessories and products for operative endourology, as well as bladder management services; and OEM products, which includes the TFX Medical OEM, TFX OEM, Deknatel, and HPC Medical brands. It serves hospitals and healthcare providers, medical device manufacturers, and home care markets. Teleflex Incorporated was incorporated in 1943 and is headquartered in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes generic and other medicines, and biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, Israel, and internationally. It offers generic medicines in various dosage forms, such as tablets, capsules, injectables, inhalants, liquids, transdermal patches, ointments, and creams; sterile products, hormones, high-potency drugs, and cytotoxic substances in parenteral and solid dosage forms; and generic products with medical devices and combination products. The company also focuses on the central nervous system (CNS), respiratory, and oncology areas. It provides active pharmaceutical ingredients, as well as contract manufacturing services; and operates an out-licensing platform that offers a portfolio of products to other pharmaceutical companies. The company also offers BENDEKA and TREANDA injections for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and indolent b-cell non-hodgkin's lymphoma; COPAXONE to treat patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; AJOVY for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults; AUSTEDO to treat neurodegenerative and movement disorders " chorea associated with Huntington's disease and tardive dyskinesia; UZEDY for the treatment of schizophrenia; ProAir RespiClick inhalation powder; QVAR RediHaler to treat asthma; BRALTUS, a long-acting muscarinic antagonist; CINQAIR/CINQAERO injection; DuoResp Spiromax budesonide and formoterol powder inhaler; and AirDuo RespiClick fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation powder. The company offers its OTC products under the SUDOCREM, NasenDuo, DICLOX FORTE, OLFEN Max, and FLEGAMINA brand names. It has collaboration agreements with MedinCell S.A.; Sanofi; Alvotech; and Biolojic Design Ltd., as well as license agreement with MODAG GmbH. The company was founded in 1901 and is based in Tel Aviv, Israel.
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. The Optum Health segment provides care delivery, care management, wellness and consumer engagement, and health financial services patients, consumers, care delivery systems, providers, employers, payers, and public-sector entities. The Optum Insight segment offers software and information products, advisory consulting arrangements, and managed services outsourcing contracts to hospital systems, physicians, health plans, governments, life sciences companies, and other organizations. The Optum Rx segment provides pharmacy care services and programs, including retail network contracting, home delivery, specialty and community health pharmacy services, infusion, and purchasing and clinical capabilities, as well as develops programs in the areas of step therapy, formulary management, drug adherence, and disease and drug therapy management. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated was founded in 1974 and is based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, a biotechnology company, engages in developing and commercializing therapies for treating cystic fibrosis (CF). It markets TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO for people with CF with at least one F508del mutation for 2 years of age and older; ALYFTREK for the treatment for people with CF 6 years of age and older; SYMDEKO/SYMKEVI for treatment of patients with CF 6 years of age and older; ORKAMBI for CF patients 1 year or older; and KALYDECO for the treatment of patients with 1 month or older who have CF with ivacaftor. The company also develops CASGEVY for the treatment of sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia; JOURNAVX for the treatment of acute pain in adults; VX-522, a CFTR mRNA therapeutic designed to treat the underlying cause of CF, which is in Phase 1/2 clinical trial; inaxaplin for the treatment of APOL1-mediated kidney disease which is in single Phase 2; VX-880 and VX-264, treatment for Type 1 Diabetes; VX-670 for the treatment of myotonic dystrophy type 1; and VX-407, a small molecule corrector for the treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Further, it sells the products to specialty pharmacy and specialty distributors in the United States, as well as retail pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics. Additionally, the company has collaborations with CRISPR Therapeutics AG.; Moderna, Inc.; and Entrada Therapeutics, Inc. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
Healthcare is a human necessity. This means the demand for healthcare services typically remains unchanged, regardless of how other industries rise and fall. Investing in well-established healthcare stocks can provide a cushion of security in an aggressive-growth portfolio. Healthcare stocks also offer investors the opportunity to fund medical research. As the field continues to expand, investors can support research efforts seeking to cure disease.
What unique risks does the healthcare sector face?
The medical field is complicated, and if you don’t understand what a company does or how it operates, you may want to think twice before investing. Government legislation is another major consideration for healthcare investors. Sweeping shifts in policy — the Affordable Care Act, for example — have the power to trigger significant volatility in this sector. And the FDA has the power to make or break fledgling pharmaceutical companies. If you choose to invest in this sector, keep an eye on political shifts and regulatory changes.
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The Finder Score crunches 147 key metrics we collected directly from 18+ brokers and assessed each provider’s performance based on nine different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts. We then scored and ranked each provider to determine the best brokerage accounts.
We update our best picks as products change, disappear or emerge in the market. We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available.
The healthcare sector offers the opportunity for profit but carries its own unique set of risks. Whether or not this sector belongs in your portfolio depends on your risk tolerance and investment goals. Explore your brokerage account options across multiple trading platforms for the account best suited to your needs.
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Shannon Terrell is a lead writer and spokesperson at NerdWallet and a former editor at Finder, specializing in personal finance. Her writing and analysis on investing and banking has been featured in Bloomberg, Global News, Yahoo Finance, GoBankingRates and Black Enterprise. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and English literature from the University of Toronto Mississauga. See full bio
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