UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) has seen its shares decline more than 6% so far this year. That may not seem like much of a drop, but for a company as steady as UnitedHealth, that represents a significant dip. The company, which is both a healthcare insurer and healthcare provider, has been the picture of stability, with a beta of just 0.89 (indicating lower than average volatility).

The company is so big that there can be a little confusion among some investors as to its scope. Let's take a closer look and see how to better understand the company.

UnitedHealth operates in two segments -- its insurance side, UnitedHealthcare, and its health services side, Optum Health. The company's size gives it an economy of scale. In the second quarter, it reported revenue of $92.9 billion, up 16% year over year. Both its segments participated in that growth with double-digit revenue increases. UnitedHealth Group also reported earnings per share (EPS) of $5.82, compared to $5.34 in the same period last year.

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Source Fool.com