It may not be tempting to buy stocks that have tumbled recently; it often feels safer and more rewarding to invest in stocks as they climb and smile as they reach new highs week after week. But if you plan to invest for the long term, your best move may be to invest in a stock that's struggling today -- because you'll buy at a reasonable price and benefit as the company potentially goes on to recover and win.

Investing for the long term implies holding a stock for at least five years, and doing this is a great idea as it allows you to maximize your gain as a company recovers and/or grows. It also means you can get in on quality players when they're down and don't have to worry about whether it will take them a while to bounce back. Finally, when you're in it for the long term, short-term market disturbances won't feel overly intimidating.

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With all of this in mind, if you have $500 or even a bit less, here are two healthcare stocks long-term investors should buy right now.

Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) saw revenue soar to the mind-boggling level of $100 billion just a few years ago, as sales of its coronavirus products climbed. But as demand for those declined and Pfizer approached patent expiry on other blockbusters, revenue dropped significantly.

The pharma company prepared for that moment, though, through both acquisitions and in-house research that may spark a new era of growth. Pfizer's purchase of Seagen brought it commercialized drugs that are helping it in the quest to become a major player in oncology. And more recently, Pfizer bought Metsera for a late-stage candidate that could open the door to the high-growth obesity drug market.

Today, Pfizer trades for only 9x forward earnings estimates, making it a bargain for long-term investors.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) also has faced its share of headwinds in recent quarters. The biggest U.S. health insurer struggled last year as it underestimated the rising cost of healthcare and the use of services. That weighed heavily on growth.

But the company took immediate action to turn things around, cutting certain plans, implementing AI to streamline processes, and adjusting prices -- just to offer a few examples. All of this should help the company recover and grow in the quarters to come.

UnitedHealth's two businesses -- health insurance unit UnitedHealthcare and health services business Optum -- provide it with a solid moat, or competitive advantage, that should support revenue growth.

And trading at 15x forward earnings, UnitedHealth offers investors a fantastic buying opportunity today.

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See the 3 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of March 16, 2026

Adria Cimino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Pfizer. The Motley Fool recommends UnitedHealth Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Have $500? 2 Healthcare Stocks Long-Term Investors Should Buy Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool