NRG vs UNH: Correlation
NRG Energy (NRG) and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) show a negative relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is -0.18.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are NRG and UNH?
On 3 years of weekly data the NRG/UNH correlation comes out at -0.18, negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. The past 12 months show a tighter link (0.18) than the 3-year average (-0.18). The 5-year figure is -0.08, and annualized covariance runs at -320.1 %².
By 3-year correlation, UNH places #24 of the 31 assets tracked against NRG. Their recent paths diverged sharply: over the last 12 months UNH outperformed by 55.3 percentage points (-21.8% for NRG against +33.5% for UNH). The relationship is regime-dependent: the rolling one-year correlation swung between -0.45 and 0.12 over the past three years, so this pair behaves very differently depending on the market environment.
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.
NRG vs UNH: side by side
| NRG (NRG Energy) | UNH (UnitedHealth Group) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | -21.8% | +33.5% |
| 5-year return | +191.5% | +3.1% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 44.4% | 39.8% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.30 | 0.17 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -38.9% | -61.4% |
| Market cap | $24.1B | $354.6B |
| P/E (trailing) | 30.2 | 25.8 |
| Dividend yield | 1.61% | 2.23% |
| Sector / category | Utilities | Health Care |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | NRG | UNH |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -23.5% | +6.9% |
| 2023 | +69.4% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | +78.6% | -2.4% |
| 2025 | +78.9% | -33.1% |
| 2026 | -27.5% | +21.3% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are NRG and UNH good diversifiers for each other?
By historical standards, yes. A correlation of -0.18 means the two rarely move for the same reasons.
FAQ
What is the correlation between NRG and UNH?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: -0.18 over 3 years, with 0.18 over the last year and -0.08 over 5 years.
Is UNH a good diversifier for NRG?
By historical standards, yes. A correlation of -0.18 means the two rarely move for the same reasons.
What does a correlation of -0.18 mean?
Correlation ranges from −1 to +1. Values near +1 mean two assets move together, near 0 that they move independently, and negative values that they tend to move in opposite directions. It measures co-movement, not performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/nrg-vs-unh.json
Markdown for the live badge, attribution link included:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/nrg-vs-unh/)
No key needed, free to use. Full endpoint list in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: NRG correlations · UNH correlations
