UNH’s worst drop since 1999 was 74%
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) fell 74% from Dec 2005 to Nov 2008. It took 7.3 years from that peak to close at a new high, in Apr 2013. Over the same years the S&P 500 fell as much as 55%.
That drop ranks 470th deepest among the 986 stocks PortfolioAutopsy tracks.
Drawdown from the last high, 1999 to now
How UNH held up in each crash
| Crash | Years | UNH | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dot-com bust | 2000–02 | −24.3% | −47.5% |
| Financial crisis | 2007–09 | −72.3% | −55.2% |
| COVID crash | 2020 | −35.9% | −33.7% |
| 2022 rate shock | 2022 | −16.9% | −24.5% |
Each number is the deepest fall from a high inside that window, using daily prices with dividends reinvested.
See how UNH behaves inside your whole mix, with the worst 12 months, loss odds and crash replays. Free, no signup, and the math runs in your browser.
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What was UNH’s maximum drawdown?
UNH’s deepest fall since 1999 was 74.4%, from its high on December 21, 2005 to its low on November 20, 2008. The figure uses daily prices with dividends reinvested.
How long did UNH take to recover?
7.3 years. UNH first closed above its Dec 2005 high again on April 2, 2013.
Was UNH riskier than the S&P 500?
Over the same years, UNH’s worst drop was 74.4% against 55.2% for the S&P 500 (SPY), and its worst 12 months were −69.5% against −47.4%.
Compare with
Daily adjusted closes from Yahoo Finance, January 5, 1999 through October 13, 2026, dividends reinvested. Historical facts, not a forecast and not investment advice.