Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) vs HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) 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 HCA's 7.1% |
| Value | ADUS | Lower P/E (15.0x vs 17.5x), PEG 0.74 vs 0.83 |
| Quality / Margins | HCA | 9.0% net margin vs ADUS's 6.7% |
| Stability / Safety | HCA | Beta 0.29 vs ADUS's 0.41 |
| Dividends | HCA | 0.6% yield; 5-year raise streak; ADUS pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | HCA | +73.9% vs ADUS's +8.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | HCA | 11.2% ROA vs ADUS's 6.7%, ROIC 19.9% vs 8.8% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
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.
HCA Healthcare is one of the largest for-profit hospital operators in the United States, providing comprehensive medical and surgical services through its network of acute care hospitals and outpatient facilities. It generates revenue primarily from patient services — including inpatient hospital stays, outpatient procedures, and emergency care — with the vast majority coming from government programs like Medicare and Medicaid alongside private insurance reimbursements. The company's scale advantage — operating over 180 hospitals concentrated in high-growth markets — creates significant purchasing power with suppliers and negotiating leverage with payers.
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
HCA leads in 5 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
HCA is the larger business by revenue, generating $75.6B annually — 53.1x ADUS's $1.4B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 9.0% (HCA) 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… | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.4B | $75.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $155M | $15.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $96M | $6.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $91M | $7.7B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +32.5% | +41.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +9.7% | +15.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +6.7% | +9.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.4% | +10.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +25.6% | +6.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +50.5% | +44.6% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.7x trailing earnings, HCA trades at a 6% valuation discount to ADUS's 19.9x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), HCA offers better value at 0.89x vs ADUS's 0.99x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.9B | $118.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.0B | $167.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 19.87x | 18.66x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.01x | 17.50x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.99x | 0.89x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.19x | 10.82x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.35x | 1.57x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.76x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 15.40x |
Profitability & Efficiency
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +8.8% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.7% | +11.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +8.8% | +19.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +10.9% | +27.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.19x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $127M | $49.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $82M | $1.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $209M | $50.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 11.40x | 5.37x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in HCA five years ago would be worth $30,878 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $10,104 for ADUS. Over the past 12 months, HCA leads with a +73.9% total return vs ADUS's +8.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors HCA at 30.2% vs ADUS's -1.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -2.9% | +12.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +8.1% | +73.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -4.7% | +120.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1.0% | +208.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +356.1% | +688.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -1.6% | +30.2% |
Risk & Volatility
HCA is the less volatile stock with a 0.29 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. HCA currently trades 95.8% from its 52-week high vs ADUS's 83.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.41x | 0.29x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $124.44 | $552.90 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $88.96 | $295.00 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +83.2% | +95.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 41.0 | 56.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 173K | 879K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ADUS as "Buy" and HCA as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 28.2% upside for ADUS (target: $133) vs -1.1% for HCA (target: $524). HCA is the only dividend payer here at 0.56% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $132.75 | $523.92 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 15 | 46 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.6% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 5 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $2.94 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +8.5% |
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 | 136.71 | +36.7% |
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 100 | 593.4 | +493.4% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) returned +209% over 5 years vs Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS)'s +1%. A $10,000 investment in HCA 5 years ago would be worth $30,878 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | $401M | $1.4B | +255.0% |
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | $41.5B | $75.6B | +82.2% |
Addus HomeCare Corporation's revenue grew from $401M (2016) to $1.4B (2025) — a 15.1% CAGR. HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s revenue grew from $41.5B (2016) to $75.6B (2025) — a 6.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 3.0% | 6.7% | +124.7% |
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 7.0% | 9.0% | +28.8% |
Addus HomeCare Corporation's net margin went from 3% (2016) to 7% (2025). HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s net margin went from 7% (2016) to 9% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 29.7 | 20.6 | -30.6% |
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 14.8 | 16.5 | +11.5% |
Addus HomeCare Corporation has traded in a 21x–56x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~20x. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has traded in a 12x–17x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~19x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 1.04 | 5.21 | +401.0% |
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 7.3 | 28.38 | +288.8% |
Addus HomeCare Corporation's EPS grew from $1.04 (2016) to $5.21 (2025) — a 20% CAGR. HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s EPS grew from $7.30 (2016) to $28.38 (2025) — a 16% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Addus HomeCare Corporation generated $0M FCF in 2025 (-100% vs 2021). HCA Healthcare, Inc. generated $8B FCF in 2025 (+43% vs 2021).
ADUS vs HCA: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ADUS or HCA a better buy right now?
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) offers the better valuation at 18.7x trailing P/E (17.5x 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 HCA?
On trailing P/E, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the cheapest at 18.7x versus Addus HomeCare Corporation at 19.9x. On forward P/E, Addus HomeCare Corporation is actually cheaper at 15.0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Addus HomeCare Corporation wins at 0.74x versus HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s 0.83x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ADUS or HCA?
Over the past 5 years, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) delivered a total return of +208.8%, compared to +1.0% for Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS). A $10,000 investment in HCA five years ago would be worth approximately $31K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HCA returned +688.3% versus ADUS's +356.1%. 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 HCA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.29β versus Addus HomeCare Corporation's 0.41β — meaning ADUS is approximately 39% more volatile than HCA relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — ADUS or HCA?
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the more profitable company, earning 9.0% net margin versus 6.7% for Addus HomeCare Corporation — meaning it keeps 9.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HCA leads at 15.8% versus 9.7% for ADUS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HCA leads at 41.5%, 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 HCA more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.74x versus HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s 0.83x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) trades at 15.0x forward P/E versus 17.5x for HCA Healthcare, Inc. — 2.5x 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 HCA?
In this comparison, HCA (0.6% yield) pays a dividend. ADUS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is ADUS or HCA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.29), 0.6% yield, +688.3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HCA: +688.3%, 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 HCA?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. HCA 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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