Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) vs Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | ACHC | 5.0% revenue growth vs MPW's -2.4% |
| Value | ACHC | Lower P/E (15.7x vs 47.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | MPW | -20.4% net margin vs ACHC's -33.3% |
| Stability / Safety | MPW | Beta 0.72 vs ACHC's 0.75, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | MPW | -2.2% vs ACHC's -21.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MPW | -1.3% ROA vs ACHC's -20.0% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Acadia Healthcare operates a network of behavioral healthcare facilities — including psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment centers, and outpatient clinics — across the United States and Puerto Rico. It generates revenue primarily from patient services reimbursed by government payers like Medicaid and Medicare (roughly 50-60%) and commercial insurance (roughly 30-40%). The company's competitive advantage lies in its scale as one of the largest pure-play behavioral health providers, creating operational efficiencies and a broad geographic footprint that supports patient access and referral networks.
Medical Properties Trust is a real estate investment trust that acquires and leases hospital facilities to healthcare operators. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases—where tenants pay rent plus property expenses—with hospital operators across nine countries. The company's moat lies in its specialized expertise in hospital real estate and its ability to provide capital solutions that allow operators to monetize their real estate assets while maintaining operational control.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
MPW leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). ACHC leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ACHC is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.3B annually — 3.4x MPW's $972M. MPW is the more profitable business, keeping -20.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ACHC's -33.3%. On growth, MPW holds the edge at +14.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.3B | $972M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $513M | $663M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$1.1B | -$199M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$440M | $0 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +60.6% | +55.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +9.7% | +38.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -33.3% | -20.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -13.3% | +23.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.1% | +14.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -38.2% | +123.2% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, ACHC's 8.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than MPW's 100.9x.
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.1B | $3.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.6B | $2.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.93x | -16.48x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.68x | 47.59x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 8.02x | 100.95x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.64x | 3.34x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.99x | 0.71x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 14.07x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MPW delivers a -4.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-4 in annual profit, vs $-52 for ACHC. MPW carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ACHC's 1.23x.
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -51.5% | -4.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -20.0% | -1.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +5.9% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.5% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.23x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.5B | -$413M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $133M | $541M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.6B | $128M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.82x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MPW five years ago would be worth $4,351 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,183 for ACHC. Over the past 12 months, MPW leads with a -2.2% total return vs ACHC's -21.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MPW at -11.6% vs ACHC's -31.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +64.0% | +7.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -21.8% | -2.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -67.7% | -31.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -58.2% | -56.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -57.7% | +24.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -31.4% | -11.6% |
Risk & Volatility
MPW is the less volatile stock with a 0.72 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ACHC's 0.75 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. MPW currently trades 85.8% from its 52-week high vs ACHC's 69.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.75x | 0.72x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $33.58 | $6.34 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $11.43 | $3.95 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +69.8% | +85.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 84.4 | 64.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.0M | 5.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ACHC as "Buy" and MPW as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply -8.1% upside for MPW (target: $5) vs -15.4% for ACHC (target: $20).
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $19.82 | $5.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 25 | 28 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.4% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC) | 100 | 44.14 | -55.9% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 100 | 22.53 | -77.5% |
Medical Properties … (MPW) returned -56% over 5 years vs Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC)'s -58%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC) | $2.8B | $3.3B | +17.9% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | $541M | $972M | +79.6% |
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.'s revenue grew from $2.8B (2016) to $3.3B (2025) — a 1.8% CAGR. Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s revenue grew from $541M (2016) to $972M (2025) — a 6.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC) | 0.2% | -33.3% | -15335.0% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 41.6% | -20.4% | -149.2% |
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.'s net margin went from 0% (2016) to -33% (2025). Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s net margin went from 42% (2016) to -20% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 7 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC) | 14.2 | 14.3 | +0.7% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 16.8 | 7.4 | -56.0% |
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. has traded in a 14x–29x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~-2x. Medical Properties Trust, Inc. has traded in a 6x–27x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~-16x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC) | 0.07 | -12.16 | -17471.4% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 0.86 | -0.33 | -138.4% |
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.07 (2016) to $-12.16 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR. Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.86 (2016) to $-0.33 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. generated $-440M FCF in 2025 (-439% vs 2021). Medical Properties Trust, Inc. generated $231M FCF in 2025 (-69% vs 2021).
ACHC vs MPW: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ACHC or MPW a better buy right now?
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.
02Which is the better long-term investment — ACHC or MPW?
Over the past 5 years, Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) delivered a total return of -56.5%, compared to -58.2% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). A $10,000 investment in MPW five years ago would be worth approximately $4K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MPW returned +24.1% versus ACHC's -57.7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — ACHC or MPW?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) is the lower-risk stock at 0.72β versus Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.'s 0.75β — meaning ACHC is approximately 4% more volatile than MPW relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 123% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — ACHC or MPW?
Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) is the more profitable company, earning -20.4% net margin versus -33.3% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — meaning it keeps -20.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MPW leads at 38.1% versus 11.7% for ACHC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MPW leads at 55.7%, 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.
05Is ACHC or MPW more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) trades at 15.7x forward P/E versus 47.6x for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. — 31.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MPW: -8.1% to $5.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — ACHC or MPW?
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.
07Is ACHC or MPW better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.72)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MPW: +24.1%, ACHC: -57.7%), 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.
08What are the main differences between ACHC and MPW?
These companies operate in different sectors (ACHC (Healthcare) and MPW (Real Estate)), 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.
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