ATRC vs BEAT

Analysts rate AtriCure, Inc.

(ATRC) a "Buy" — based on 19 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, AtriCure, Inc.

(ATRC) delivered a total return of -64. 2%, compared to -81. 4% for HeartBeam, Inc. (BEAT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ATRC returned +95. 1% versus BEAT's -81. 4%. 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), AtriCure, Inc.

(ATRC) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 03β versus HeartBeam, Inc. 's 1. 24β — meaning BEAT is approximately 21% more volatile than ATRC relative to the S&P 500.

On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: AtriCure, Inc.

grew EPS 74. 7% year-over-year, compared to 15. 1% for HeartBeam, Inc.. 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.

HeartBeam, Inc.

(BEAT) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 0% net margin versus -2. 1% for AtriCure, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BEAT leads at 0. 0% versus -0. 6% for ATRC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ATRC leads at 74. 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.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, AtriCure, Inc.

(ATRC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 03)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ATRC: +95. 1%, BEAT: -81. 4%), 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.