AGL vs ELV

For growth investors, Elevance Health Inc.

(ELV) is the stronger pick with 12. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 1% for Agilon Health, Inc. (AGL). Elevance Health Inc. (ELV) offers the better valuation at 14. 8x trailing P/E (13. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Elevance Health Inc. (ELV) a "Buy" — based on 37 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, Elevance Health Inc.

(ELV) delivered a total return of +1. 5%, compared to -92. 8% for Agilon Health, Inc. (AGL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ELV returned +202. 1% versus AGL's -92. 2%. 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), Elevance Health Inc.

(ELV) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 46β versus Agilon Health, Inc. 's 2. 98β — meaning AGL is approximately 544% more volatile than ELV relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Agilon Health, Inc. (AGL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 29% versus 75% for Elevance Health Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Elevance Health Inc.

(ELV) is pulling ahead at 12. 6% versus -2. 1% for Agilon Health, Inc. (AGL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Elevance Health Inc. grew EPS -2. 2% year-over-year, compared to -55. 6% for Agilon Health, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AGL leads at 35. 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.

Elevance Health Inc.

(ELV) is the more profitable company, earning 2. 8% net margin versus -6. 8% for Agilon Health, Inc. — meaning it keeps 2. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ELV leads at 4. 1% versus -7. 1% for AGL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ELV leads at 25. 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 ELV: 2.

5% to $382. 38.

In this comparison, ELV (1.

8% yield) pays a dividend. AGL does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Elevance Health Inc.

(ELV) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 46), 1. 8% yield, +202. 1% 10Y return). Agilon Health, Inc. (AGL) carries a higher beta of 2. 98 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ELV: +202. 1%, AGL: -92. 2%), 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: AGL is a small-cap quality compounder stock; ELV is a mid-cap deep-value stock. ELV pays a dividend while AGL 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.