ACHC vs UNH vs CVS vs UHS

For growth investors, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) is the stronger pick with 11.

8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 0% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) offers the better valuation at 7. 4x trailing P/E (7. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. 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.

On trailing P/E, Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is the cheapest at 7. 4x versus CVS Health Corporation at 62. 8x. On forward P/E, Universal Health Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, CVS Health Corporation (CVS) delivered a total return of +17.

0%, compared to -61. 8% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: UNH returned +220. 6% versus ACHC's -58. 5%. 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), CVS Health Corporation (CVS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

05β versus Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. 's 0. 84β — meaning ACHC is approximately 1564% more volatile than CVS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 74% versus 124% for CVS Health Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) is pulling ahead at 11.

8% versus 5. 0% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Universal Health Services, Inc. grew EPS 37. 3% year-over-year, compared to -537. 4% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, UNH leads at 11. 4% 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.

Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 6% net margin versus -33. 3% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ACHC leads at 11. 7% versus 2. 6% for CVS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UHS leads at 90. 4%, 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, Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) trades at 7. 3x forward P/E versus 20. 2x for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated — 12. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for UHS: 35. 7% to $231. 50.

In this comparison, CVS (3.

1% yield), UNH (2. 4% yield), UHS (0. 5% yield) pay a dividend. ACHC does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, CVS Health Corporation (CVS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

05), 3. 1% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CVS: +3. 5%, ACHC: -58. 5%), 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.

In terms of investment character: ACHC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; UNH is a large-cap quality compounder stock; CVS is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; UHS is a mid-cap deep-value stock. UNH, CVS pay a dividend while ACHC, UHS do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.