BMRA vs HOLX vs BDX vs QDEL vs ABT

For growth investors, Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) is the stronger pick with 8.

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 9% for Biomerica, Inc. (BMRA). Abbott Laboratories (ABT) offers the better valuation at 11. 0x trailing P/E (15. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Abbott Laboratories (ABT) a "Buy" — based on 41 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, Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is the cheapest at 11.

0x versus Hologic, Inc. at 30. 5x. On forward P/E, QuidelOrtho Corporation is actually cheaper at 6. 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: Abbott Laboratories wins at 0. 51x versus Becton, Dickinson and Company's 0. 72x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Hologic, Inc.

(HOLX) delivered a total return of +16. 8%, compared to -93. 3% for Biomerica, Inc. (BMRA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ABT returned +166. 6% versus BMRA's -81. 9%. 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), Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

22β versus QuidelOrtho Corporation's 2. 28β — meaning QDEL is approximately 956% more volatile than ABT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Biomerica, Inc. (BMRA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 11% versus 146% for QuidelOrtho Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) is pulling ahead at 8.

2% versus -1. 9% for Biomerica, Inc. (BMRA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Abbott Laboratories grew EPS 133. 6% year-over-year, compared to -500. 0% for Biomerica, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BDX leads at 5. 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.

Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is the more profitable company, earning 31.

9% net margin versus -93. 6% for Biomerica, Inc. — meaning it keeps 31. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HOLX leads at 17. 4% versus -96. 7% for BMRA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HOLX leads at 61. 0%, 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.

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, Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 51x versus Becton, Dickinson and Company's 0. 72x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, QuidelOrtho Corporation (QDEL) trades at 6. 0x forward P/E versus 17. 2x for Hologic, Inc. — 11. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ABT: 52. 7% to $128. 71.

In this comparison, BDX (2.

8% yield), ABT (2. 6% yield) pay a dividend. BMRA, HOLX, QDEL do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

22), 2. 6% yield, +166. 6% 10Y return). QuidelOrtho Corporation (QDEL) carries a higher beta of 2. 28 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ABT: +166. 6%, QDEL: -34. 6%), 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: BMRA is a small-cap quality compounder stock; HOLX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; BDX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; QDEL is a small-cap quality compounder stock; ABT is a mid-cap deep-value stock. BDX, ABT pay a dividend while BMRA, HOLX, QDEL do 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.