Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (CCEL) vs Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (HCSG) 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 | HCSG | 7.1% revenue growth vs CCEL's 2.0% |
| Value | HCSG | Lower P/E (22.5x vs 67.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | HCSG | 2.2% net margin vs CCEL's 1.3% |
| Stability / Safety | CCEL | Beta 0.16 vs HCSG's 0.74 |
| Dividends | CCEL | 7.3% yield; HCSG pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | HCSG | +107.3% vs CCEL's -55.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | HCSG | 4.9% ROA vs CCEL's 0.6% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Cryo-Cell International is a cellular processing and cryogenic storage company that preserves umbilical cord blood and tissue stem cells for family use. It generates revenue primarily from cord blood and cord tissue storage services—charging initial processing fees and annual storage fees—with additional income from selling its PrepaCyte CB processing technology to other storage facilities. The company's competitive advantage lies in its established reputation in the family cord blood banking market, proprietary processing technology, and direct-to-consumer marketing relationships with healthcare providers.
Healthcare Services Group provides outsourced housekeeping, laundry, and dietary services to nursing homes, retirement communities, and hospitals across the United States. It generates revenue through service contracts with healthcare facilities—primarily from its Housekeeping segment (~70% of revenue) and Dietary segment (~30%)—where it manages entire departments for clients. The company's moat lies in its specialized expertise in healthcare facility operations and its scale as a national provider, which creates switching costs for clients who rely on its integrated service model.
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
HCSG leads in 3 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). CCEL leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
HCSG is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.8B annually — 57.0x CCEL's $32M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 2.2% (HCSG) to 1.3% (CCEL). On growth, HCSG holds the edge at +8.5% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CCELCryo-Cell Interna… | HCSGHealthcare Servic… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $32M | $1.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $6M | $60M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $399,609 | $40M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $6M | $158M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +77.1% | +12.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +13.6% | +2.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +1.3% | +2.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +19.1% | +8.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -3.0% | +8.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -30.8% | +2.1% |
Valuation Metrics
At 26.9x trailing earnings, HCSG trades at a 60% valuation discount to CCEL's 67.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CCEL's 10.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than HCSG's 24.0x.
| Metric | CCELCryo-Cell Interna… | HCSGHealthcare Servic… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $27M | $1.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $40M | $1.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 67.40x | 26.88x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 22.54x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.97x | 23.98x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.85x | 0.91x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 2.59x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 7.53x | 12.02x |
Profitability & Efficiency
| Metric | CCELCryo-Cell Interna… | HCSGHealthcare Servic… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | +8.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.6% | +4.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +7.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +8.3% | +7.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $12M | -$116M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $560,960 | $125M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $13M | $19M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.62x | 20.15x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in HCSG five years ago would be worth $7,774 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,120 for CCEL. Over the past 12 months, HCSG leads with a +107.3% total return vs CCEL's -55.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors HCSG at 17.9% vs CCEL's 1.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CCELCryo-Cell Interna… | HCSGHealthcare Servic… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -1.7% | +25.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -55.4% | +107.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.2% | +64.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -48.8% | -22.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +31.2% | -23.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +1.7% | +17.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CCEL is the less volatile stock with a 0.16 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than HCSG's 0.74 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. HCSG currently trades 94.7% from its 52-week high vs CCEL's 42.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CCELCryo-Cell Interna… | HCSGHealthcare Servic… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.16x | 0.74x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $7.91 | $22.98 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.10 | $9.13 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +42.6% | +94.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 49.7 | 64.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 13K | 627K |
Analyst Outlook
CCEL is the only dividend payer here at 7.30% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CCELCryo-Cell Interna… | HCSGHealthcare Servic… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $23.33 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 14 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +7.3% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 20 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.25 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +5.2% | +3.7% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cryo-Cell Internati… (CCEL) | 100 | 47.14 | -52.9% |
| Healthcare Services… (HCSG) | 100 | 69.75 | -30.3% |
Healthcare Services… (HCSG) returned -22% over 5 years vs Cryo-Cell Internati… (CCEL)'s -49%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cryo-Cell Internati… (CCEL) | $23M | $32M | +38.3% |
| Healthcare Services… (HCSG) | $1.6B | $1.8B | +17.6% |
Healthcare Services Group, Inc.'s revenue grew from $1.6B (2016) to $1.8B (2025) — a 1.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cryo-Cell Internati… (CCEL) | -5.7% | 1.3% | +122.0% |
| Healthcare Services… (HCSG) | 5.0% | 3.2% | -35.1% |
Healthcare Services Group, Inc.'s net margin went from 5% (2016) to 3% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cryo-Cell Internati… (CCEL) | 32.2 | 148.2 | +360.2% |
| Healthcare Services… (HCSG) | 44.3 | 23.6 | -46.7% |
Cryo-Cell International, Inc. has traded in a 13x–148x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~67x. Healthcare Services Group, Inc. has traded in a 20x–44x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~27x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cryo-Cell Internati… (CCEL) | -0.16 | 0.05 | +131.3% |
| Healthcare Services… (HCSG) | 1.05 | 0.81 | -22.9% |
Healthcare Services Group, Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.05 (2016) to $0.81 (2025) — a -3% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Cryo-Cell International, Inc. generated $4M FCF in 2024 (+270% vs 2021). Healthcare Services Group, Inc. generated $139M FCF in 2025 (+343% vs 2021).
CCEL vs HCSG: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CCEL or HCSG a better buy right now?
Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (HCSG) offers the better valuation at 26.9x trailing P/E (22.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (HCSG) a "Buy" — based on 14 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 — CCEL or HCSG?
On trailing P/E, Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (HCSG) is the cheapest at 26.9x versus Cryo-Cell International, Inc. at 67.4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CCEL or HCSG?
Over the past 5 years, Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (HCSG) delivered a total return of -22.3%, compared to -48.8% for Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (CCEL). A $10,000 investment in HCSG five years ago would be worth approximately $8K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CCEL returned +31.2% versus HCSG's -23.5%. 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 — CCEL or HCSG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (CCEL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.16β versus Healthcare Services Group, Inc.'s 0.74β — meaning HCSG is approximately 351% more volatile than CCEL relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — CCEL or HCSG?
Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (HCSG) is the more profitable company, earning 3.2% net margin versus 1.3% for Cryo-Cell International, Inc. — meaning it keeps 3.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CCEL leads at 10.9% versus 2.6% for HCSG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CCEL leads at 75.2%, 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — CCEL or HCSG?
In this comparison, CCEL (7.3% yield) pays a dividend. HCSG does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is CCEL or HCSG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (CCEL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.16), 7.3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CCEL: +31.2%, HCSG: -23.5%), 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.
08What are the main differences between CCEL and HCSG?
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: CCEL is a small-cap income-oriented stock; HCSG is a small-cap quality compounder stock. CCEL pays a dividend while HCSG 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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