ARDT vs UHS

For growth investors, Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is the stronger pick with 9. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 0% for Ardent Health Partners, LLC (ARDT). 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 Ardent Health Partners, LLC (ARDT) a "Buy" — based on 12 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 Ardent Health Partners, LLC at 10. 3x. On forward P/E, Universal Health Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) delivered a total return of +12. 5%, compared to -38. 5% for Ardent Health Partners, LLC (ARDT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: UHS returned +30. 8% versus ARDT's -38. 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), Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 60β versus Ardent Health Partners, LLC's 1. 40β — meaning ARDT is approximately 132% more volatile than UHS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 74% versus 134% for Ardent Health Partners, LLC — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(UHS) is pulling ahead at 9. 7% versus 6. 0% for Ardent Health Partners, LLC (ARDT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Universal Health Services, Inc. grew EPS 37. 3% year-over-year, compared to -39. 2% for Ardent Health Partners, LLC. Over a 3-year CAGR, UHS leads at 9. 0% 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 2. 1% for Ardent Health Partners, LLC — meaning it keeps 8. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: UHS leads at 11. 5% versus 5. 1% for ARDT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ARDT leads at 97. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) trades at 7. 3x forward P/E versus 8. 7x for Ardent Health Partners, LLC — 1. 4x 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, UHS (0.

5% yield) pays a dividend. ARDT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 60)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (UHS: +30. 8%, ARDT: -38. 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.

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.