ACHC vs BKD

For growth investors, Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.

(ACHC) is the stronger pick with 5. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 8% for Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (BKD). Analysts rate Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) a "Buy" — based on 25 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.

Over the past 5 years, Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

(BKD) delivered a total return of +114. 8%, compared to -60. 4% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BKD returned -21. 8% versus ACHC's -56. 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), Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

(BKD) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 67β versus Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. 's 0. 84β — meaning ACHC is approximately 25% more volatile than BKD relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.

(ACHC) is pulling ahead at 5. 0% versus 4. 8% for Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (BKD). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Brookdale Senior Living Inc. grew EPS -24. 7% year-over-year, compared to -537. 4% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ACHC leads at 8. 3% 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.

Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

(BKD) is the more profitable company, earning -8. 4% net margin versus -33. 3% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — meaning it keeps -8. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ACHC leads at 11. 7% versus 0. 5% for BKD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BKD leads at 20. 6%, 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.

Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BKD: 24.

6% to $17. 67.

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, Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

(BKD) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 67)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BKD: -21. 8%, ACHC: -56. 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.

Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

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.