Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Chemed Corporation (CHE) vs DocGo Inc. (DCGO) 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 | CHE | 4.1% revenue growth vs DCGO's -1.2% |
| Value | DCGO | Lower P/E (4.0x vs 16.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | CHE | 10.5% net margin vs DCGO's -14.0% |
| Stability / Safety | CHE | Beta 0.27 vs DCGO's 1.20, lower leverage |
| Dividends | CHE | 0.5% yield, 18-year raise streak, vs DCGO's 100.0% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CHE | -31.4% vs DCGO's -76.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CHE | 17.2% ROA vs DCGO's -14.6%, ROIC 23.8% vs 7.5% |
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
Chemed Corporation operates two distinct healthcare and home services businesses. It generates revenue primarily from hospice care services through its VITAS segment (~70% of revenue) and plumbing/drain cleaning services through its Roto-Rooter segment (~30%). The company benefits from strong brand recognition in both sectors—VITAS as a leading hospice provider and Roto-Rooter as a trusted plumbing service name—creating dual moats in specialized healthcare and essential home services.
DocGo is a mobile healthcare and medical transportation provider that brings medical services directly to patients' homes, workplaces, and events. It generates revenue primarily through contracted mobile health services—including COVID-19 testing and on-site event healthcare—and medical transportation services like ambulance and wheelchair transport. The company's competitive advantage lies in its integrated platform that combines transportation with on-site medical care, creating a seamless mobile healthcare delivery system.
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
CHE leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). DCGO leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CHE is the larger business by revenue, generating $2.5B annually — 6.9x DCGO's $368M. CHE is the more profitable business, keeping 10.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to DCGO's -14.0%. On growth, CHE holds the edge at -0.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | DCGODocGo Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.5B | $368M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $387M | -$66M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $265M | -$52M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $325M | $52M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +23.0% | +31.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +13.4% | -22.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +10.5% | -14.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +12.9% | +14.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -0.1% | -48.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -9.0% | -6.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 4.0x trailing earnings, DCGO trades at a 82% valuation discount to CHE's 22.3x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, DCGO's 0.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CHE's 17.3x.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | DCGODocGo Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.8B | $73M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.9B | $41M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 22.26x | 3.99x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 16.75x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.31x | 0.92x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.29x | 0.12x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.03x | 0.25x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 17.77x | 1.13x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CHE delivers a 27.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $27 in annual profit, vs $-20 for DCGO. CHE carries lower financial leverage with a 0.15x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to DCGO's 0.18x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), DCGO scores 7/9 vs CHE's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | DCGODocGo Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +27.1% | -19.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +17.2% | -14.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +23.8% | +7.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +25.7% | +8.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.15x | 0.18x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $69M | -$32M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $75M | $89M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $144M | $57M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 112.39x | -38.97x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CHE five years ago would be worth $9,392 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $707 for DCGO. Over the past 12 months, CHE leads with a -31.4% total return vs DCGO's -76.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CHE at -7.3% vs DCGO's -57.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | DCGODocGo Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -3.1% | -19.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -31.4% | -76.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -20.3% | -92.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -6.1% | -92.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +230.4% | -93.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -7.3% | -57.2% |
Risk & Volatility
CHE is the less volatile stock with a 0.27 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than DCGO's 1.20 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CHE currently trades 65.7% from its 52-week high vs DCGO's 22.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | DCGODocGo Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.27x | 1.20x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $623.61 | $3.18 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $385.10 | $0.66 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +65.7% | +22.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 28.2 | 40.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 128K | 624K |
Analyst Outlook
For income investors, DCGO offers the higher dividend yield at 100.00% vs CHE's 0.54%.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | DCGODocGo Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $475.00 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 9 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.5% | +100.0% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 18 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.20 | $11829.54 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +7.5% | +18.8% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jan 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 100 | 82.35 | -17.7% |
| DocGo Inc. (DCGO) | 97.48 | 7.54 | -92.3% |
Chemed Corporation (CHE) returned -6% over 5 years vs DocGo Inc. (DCGO)'s -93%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | $1.6B | $2.5B | +60.4% |
| DocGo Inc. (DCGO) | $48M | $617M | +1176.5% |
Chemed Corporation's revenue grew from $1.6B (2016) to $2.5B (2025) — a 5.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 6.9% | 10.5% | +52.0% |
| DocGo Inc. (DCGO) | -41.8% | 3.2% | +107.7% |
Chemed Corporation's net margin went from 7% (2016) to 10% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 41.5 | 23.2 | -44.1% |
| DocGo Inc. (DCGO) | 37.4 | 23.6 | -36.9% |
Chemed Corporation has traded in a 23x–42x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~22x. DocGo Inc. has traded in a 21x–86x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~4x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 6.48 | 18.42 | +184.3% |
| DocGo Inc. (DCGO) | -0.2 | 0.18 | +190.0% |
Chemed Corporation's EPS grew from $6.48 (2016) to $18.42 (2025) — a 12% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Chemed Corporation generated $325M FCF in 2025 (+30% vs 2021). DocGo Inc. generated $65M FCF in 2024 (+850% vs 2021).
CHE vs DCGO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CHE or DCGO a better buy right now?
DocGo Inc. (DCGO) offers the better valuation at 4.0x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Chemed Corporation (CHE) a "Hold" — based on 9 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 — CHE or DCGO?
On trailing P/E, DocGo Inc. (DCGO) is the cheapest at 4.0x versus Chemed Corporation at 22.3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CHE or DCGO?
Over the past 5 years, Chemed Corporation (CHE) delivered a total return of -6.1%, compared to -92.9% for DocGo Inc. (DCGO). A $10,000 investment in CHE five years ago would be worth approximately $9K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CHE returned +230.4% versus DCGO's -93.0%. 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 — CHE or DCGO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Chemed Corporation (CHE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.27β versus DocGo Inc.'s 1.20β — meaning DCGO is approximately 343% more volatile than CHE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Chemed Corporation (CHE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 18% for DocGo Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CHE or DCGO?
Chemed Corporation (CHE) is the more profitable company, earning 10.5% net margin versus 3.2% for DocGo Inc. — meaning it keeps 10.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CHE leads at 13.4% versus 4.7% for DCGO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DCGO leads at 34.6%, 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — CHE or DCGO?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. DocGo Inc. (DCGO) offers the highest yield at 100.0%, versus 0.5% for Chemed Corporation (CHE).
07Is CHE or DCGO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Chemed Corporation (CHE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.27), 0.5% yield, +230.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CHE: +230.4%, DCGO: -93.0%), 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 CHE and DCGO?
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: CHE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; DCGO is a small-cap deep-value stock. 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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