How UnitedHealth Became the Worst Dow Stock of 2025

Core Viewpoint - Investors are currently rebalancing portfolios and strategizing for the upcoming year, with a focus on underperforming stocks, particularly UnitedHealth Group Inc, which has faced significant challenges in 2025 [1]. Group 1: Company Performance - UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) is the worst performer on the Dow in 2025, primarily due to controversies following the murder of CEO Brian Thompson and a surprise earnings miss in April, leading to a lowered full-year outlook [2]. - The stock has seen a significant decline, losing more than 35% this year, with its price dropping to $324.13, marking its lowest level since April 2020 [3]. - The stock is on track to close out 2025 with only five monthly wins, indicating a prolonged period of underperformance [3]. Group 2: Market Sentiment and Volatility - Despite the underperformance, short-term options traders are leaning bullish, as indicated by a low Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio, which ranks higher than only 4% of annual readings [5]. - The Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) for UnitedHealth is at 30%, in the 19th percentile of its annual range, suggesting that near-term option traders are expecting low volatility [6]. - Historically, UnitedHealth has outperformed volatility expectations, as reflected in its Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) of 99 out of 100 [6].