Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) vs Chemed Corporation (CHE) 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 | ADUS | 23.2% revenue growth vs CHE's 4.1% |
| Value | ADUS | Lower P/E (15.0x vs 16.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | CHE | 10.5% net margin vs ADUS's 6.7% |
| Stability / Safety | CHE | Beta 0.27 vs ADUS's 0.41, lower leverage |
| Dividends | CHE | 0.5% yield; 18-year raise streak; ADUS pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ADUS | +8.1% vs CHE's -31.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CHE | 17.2% ROA vs ADUS's 6.7%, ROIC 23.8% vs 8.8% |
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
Addus HomeCare is a provider of in-home care services for elderly, chronically ill, and disabled individuals across the United States. It generates revenue primarily through government reimbursement programs — with Medicaid accounting for roughly 80% of revenue — supplemented by Medicare, private insurance, and private-pay clients across its personal care, hospice, and home health segments. The company's competitive advantage lies in its established relationships with state Medicaid agencies and its scale as one of the largest home care providers, which creates barriers to entry and operational efficiencies.
Chemed Corporation operates two distinct healthcare and home services businesses. It generates revenue primarily from hospice care services through its VITAS segment (~70% of revenue) and plumbing/drain cleaning services through its Roto-Rooter segment (~30%). The company benefits from strong brand recognition in both sectors—VITAS as a leading hospice provider and Roto-Rooter as a trusted plumbing service name—creating dual moats in specialized healthcare and essential home services.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
ADUS leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). CHE leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Analyst Outlook). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CHE is the larger business by revenue, generating $2.5B annually — 1.8x ADUS's $1.4B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 10.5% (CHE) to 6.7% (ADUS). On growth, ADUS holds the edge at +25.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | CHEChemed Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.4B | $2.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $155M | $387M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $96M | $265M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $91M | $325M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +32.5% | +23.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +9.7% | +13.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +6.7% | +10.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.4% | +12.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +25.6% | -0.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +50.5% | -9.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 19.9x trailing earnings, ADUS trades at a 11% valuation discount to CHE's 22.3x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, ADUS's 13.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CHE's 17.3x.
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | CHEChemed Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.9B | $5.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.0B | $5.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 19.87x | 22.26x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.01x | 16.75x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.99x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.19x | 17.31x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.35x | 2.29x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.76x | 6.03x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 17.77x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CHE delivers a 27.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $27 in annual profit, vs $9 for ADUS. CHE carries lower financial leverage with a 0.15x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ADUS's 0.19x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ADUS scores 7/9 vs CHE's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | CHEChemed Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +8.8% | +27.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.7% | +17.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +8.8% | +23.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +10.9% | +25.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.19x | 0.15x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $127M | $69M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $82M | $75M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $209M | $144M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 11.40x | 112.39x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ADUS five years ago would be worth $10,104 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $9,392 for CHE. Over the past 12 months, ADUS leads with a +8.1% total return vs CHE's -31.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ADUS at -1.6% vs CHE's -7.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | CHEChemed Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -2.9% | -3.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +8.1% | -31.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -4.7% | -20.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1.0% | -6.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +356.1% | +230.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -1.6% | -7.3% |
Risk & Volatility
CHE is the less volatile stock with a 0.27 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ADUS's 0.41 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ADUS currently trades 83.2% from its 52-week high vs CHE's 65.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | CHEChemed Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.41x | 0.27x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $124.44 | $623.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $88.96 | $385.10 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +83.2% | +65.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 41.0 | 28.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 173K | 128K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ADUS as "Buy" and CHE as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 28.2% upside for ADUS (target: $133) vs 15.9% for CHE (target: $475). CHE is the only dividend payer here at 0.54% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | CHEChemed Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $132.75 | $475.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 15 | 9 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 18 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $2.20 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +7.5% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 100 | 128.31 | +28.3% |
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 100 | 96.71 | -3.3% |
Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) returned +1% over 5 years vs Chemed Corporation (CHE)'s -6%. A $10,000 investment in ADUS 5 years ago would be worth $10,104 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | $401M | $1.4B | +255.0% |
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | $1.6B | $2.5B | +60.4% |
Addus HomeCare Corporation's revenue grew from $401M (2016) to $1.4B (2025) — a 15.1% CAGR. Chemed Corporation's revenue grew from $1.6B (2016) to $2.5B (2025) — a 5.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 3.0% | 6.7% | +124.7% |
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 6.9% | 10.5% | +52.0% |
Addus HomeCare Corporation's net margin went from 3% (2016) to 7% (2025). Chemed Corporation's net margin went from 7% (2016) to 10% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 29.7 | 20.6 | -30.6% |
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 41.5 | 23.2 | -44.1% |
Addus HomeCare Corporation has traded in a 21x–56x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~20x. Chemed Corporation has traded in a 23x–42x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~22x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 1.04 | 5.21 | +401.0% |
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 6.48 | 18.42 | +184.3% |
Addus HomeCare Corporation's EPS grew from $1.04 (2016) to $5.21 (2025) — a 20% CAGR. Chemed Corporation's EPS grew from $6.48 (2016) to $18.42 (2025) — a 12% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Addus HomeCare Corporation generated $0M FCF in 2025 (-100% vs 2021). Chemed Corporation generated $325M FCF in 2025 (+30% vs 2021).
ADUS vs CHE: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ADUS or CHE a better buy right now?
Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) offers the better valuation at 19.9x trailing P/E (15.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) a "Buy" — based on 15 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 has the better valuation — ADUS or CHE?
On trailing P/E, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the cheapest at 19.9x versus Chemed Corporation at 22.3x. On forward P/E, Addus HomeCare Corporation is actually cheaper at 15.0x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ADUS or CHE?
Over the past 5 years, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) delivered a total return of +1.0%, compared to -6.1% for Chemed Corporation (CHE). A $10,000 investment in ADUS five years ago would be worth approximately $10K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ADUS returned +356.1% versus CHE's +230.4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — ADUS or CHE?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Chemed Corporation (CHE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.27β versus Addus HomeCare Corporation's 0.41β — meaning ADUS is approximately 50% more volatile than CHE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Chemed Corporation (CHE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 19% for Addus HomeCare Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — ADUS or CHE?
Chemed Corporation (CHE) is the more profitable company, earning 10.5% net margin versus 6.7% for Addus HomeCare Corporation — meaning it keeps 10.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CHE leads at 13.4% versus 9.7% for ADUS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ADUS leads at 32.5%, 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.
06Is ADUS or CHE more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) trades at 15.0x forward P/E versus 16.8x for Chemed Corporation — 1.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ADUS: 28.2% to $132.75.
07Which pays a better dividend — ADUS or CHE?
In this comparison, CHE (0.5% yield) pays a dividend. ADUS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is ADUS or CHE better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Chemed Corporation (CHE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.27), 0.5% yield, +230.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CHE: +230.4%, ADUS: +356.1%), 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.
09What are the main differences between ADUS and CHE?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. CHE pays a dividend while ADUS does 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.
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