ROOT vs OSCR

For growth investors, Root, Inc.

(ROOT) is the stronger pick with 29. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 27. 5% for Oscar Health, Inc. (OSCR). Root, Inc. (ROOT) offers the better valuation at 24. 6x trailing P/E (28. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Root, Inc. (ROOT) a "Hold" — based on 14 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On forward P/E, Root, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 28. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, Oscar Health, Inc.

(OSCR) delivered a total return of -9. 3%, compared to -70. 1% for Root, Inc. (ROOT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: OSCR returned -43. 0% versus ROOT's -88. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Oscar Health, Inc.

(OSCR) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 84β versus Root, Inc. 's 2. 30β — meaning ROOT is approximately 25% more volatile than OSCR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Oscar Health, Inc. (OSCR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 44% versus 51% for Root, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Root, Inc.

(ROOT) is pulling ahead at 29. 0% versus 27. 5% for Oscar Health, Inc. (OSCR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Root, Inc. grew EPS 22. 4% year-over-year, compared to -1865. 9% for Oscar Health, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ROOT leads at 69. 6% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Root, Inc.

(ROOT) is the more profitable company, earning 2. 7% net margin versus -3. 8% for Oscar Health, Inc. — meaning it keeps 2. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ROOT leads at 2. 7% versus -3. 4% for OSCR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ROOT leads at 25. 5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Root, Inc.

(ROOT) trades at 28. 1x forward P/E versus 32. 9x for Oscar Health, Inc. — 4. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ROOT: 36. 2% to $75. 00.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Oscar Health, Inc.

(OSCR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Root, Inc. (ROOT) carries a higher beta of 2. 30 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (OSCR: -43. 0%, ROOT: -88. 7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (ROOT (Financial Services) and OSCR (Healthcare)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.