GILD vs MCK: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, Gilead Sciences (GILD) and McKesson Corporation (MCK) carry a correlation of 0.27, a weak link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are GILD and MCK?
Over the past 3 years, GILD and MCK moved with a correlation of 0.27, which is weak. Recent behaviour matches the longer record: 0.34 over 1 year against 0.27 over 3. Over 5 years the correlation is 0.33, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 162.4 %².
Within GILD's tracked universe of 30 assets, MCK comes in at #18 by 3-year correlation. Twelve-month performance is nearly a tie, at +34.1% for GILD and +30.8% for MCK. Across three years, the rolling one-year figure varied moderately, from 0.00 to 0.40.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
GILD vs MCK: side by side
| GILD (Gilead Sciences) | MCK (McKesson Corporation) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +34.1% | +30.8% |
| 5-year return | +148.1% | +354.8% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 24.1% | 25.1% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.33 | 0.16 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -26.6% | -27.2% |
| Market cap | $184.6B | $103.8B |
| P/E (trailing) | – | 24.0 |
| Dividend yield | 2.17% | 0.37% |
| Sector / category | Health Care | Health Care |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | GILD | MCK |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +23.6% | +51.8% |
| 2023 | -2.0% | +24.1% |
| 2024 | +18.7% | +23.7% |
| 2025 | +36.6% | +44.5% |
| 2026 | +22.8% | +8.8% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are GILD and MCK good diversifiers for each other?
A fair diversifier. At 0.27, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.
FAQ
What is the correlation between GILD and MCK?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between GILD and MCK is 0.27 over 3 years, 0.34 over 1 year and 0.33 over 5 years.
Is MCK a good diversifier for GILD?
A fair diversifier. At 0.27, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.
What does a correlation of 0.27 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.27 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/gild-vs-mck.json
Markdown for the live badge, attribution link included:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/gild-vs-mck/)
No key needed, free to use. Full endpoint list in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: GILD correlations · MCK correlations
