Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Chemed Corporation (CHE) vs Option Care Health, Inc. (OPCH) vs Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) vs Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. (AVAH) vs Enhabit, Inc. (EHAB) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | ADUS | 23.2% revenue growth vs EHAB's -1.1% |
| Value | AVAH | Lower P/E (12.2x vs 15.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | CHE | 10.5% net margin vs EHAB's -1.1% |
| Stability / Safety | CHE | Beta 0.27 vs AVAH's 0.82 |
| Dividends | CHE | 0.5% yield; 18-year raise streak; OPCH, ADUS, AVAH, EHAB pay no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AVAH | +72.8% vs CHE's -31.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CHE | 17.2% ROA vs EHAB's -1.0%, ROIC 23.8% vs -7.3% |
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.
Option Care Health is a leading provider of home and alternate-site infusion therapy services across the United States. It generates revenue primarily from providing specialized infusion treatments—including anti-infectives, immunoglobulin therapies, and nutrition support—which are billed to insurance providers, Medicare, and Medicaid. The company's competitive advantage lies in its national scale, extensive clinical expertise, and established payer relationships that create significant barriers to entry in the complex home infusion market.
Addus HomeCare is a provider of in-home care services for elderly, chronically ill, and disabled individuals across the United States. It generates revenue primarily through government reimbursement programs — with Medicaid accounting for roughly 80% of revenue — supplemented by Medicare, private insurance, and private-pay clients across its personal care, hospice, and home health segments. The company's competitive advantage lies in its established relationships with state Medicaid agencies and its scale as one of the largest home care providers, which creates barriers to entry and operational efficiencies.
Aveanna Healthcare is a diversified home care platform that provides private duty nursing, adult home health and hospice, pediatric therapy, and enteral nutrition services across the United States. It generates revenue primarily through its Private Duty Services segment — which accounts for roughly 70% of total revenue — along with Home Health & Hospice and Medical Solutions segments, all reimbursed by government payors like Medicaid and Medicare. The company's key advantage is its patient-centered care delivery platform that keeps patients in their homes while minimizing costly hospital utilization, creating a scalable model for medically fragile populations.
Enhabit operates a network of home health and hospice care agencies across the United States, providing skilled nursing, therapy services, and end-of-life care to patients in their homes. The company generates revenue primarily from Medicare reimbursements — which account for the vast majority of its income — along with payments from Medicaid, private insurers, and patients. Its competitive advantage lies in its extensive geographic footprint across 34 states, which creates referral network effects and operational scale in a fragmented industry.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CHE leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). EHAB leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
OPCH is the larger business by revenue, generating $5.6B annually — 5.4x EHAB's $1.0B. CHE is the more profitable business, keeping 10.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to EHAB's -1.1%. On growth, ADUS holds the edge at +25.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | OPCHOption Care Healt… | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | AVAHAveanna Healthcar… | EHABEnhabit, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.5B | $5.6B | $1.4B | $2.2B | $1.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $387M | $405M | $155M | $240M | $34M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $265M | $208M | $96M | $19M | -$12M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $325M | $240M | $91M | $79M | $58M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +23.0% | +19.3% | +32.5% | +33.3% | +48.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +13.4% | +6.0% | +9.7% | +9.7% | +0.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +10.5% | +3.7% | +6.7% | +0.9% | -1.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +12.9% | +4.2% | +6.4% | +3.6% | +5.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -0.1% | +8.8% | +25.6% | +16.8% | +3.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -9.0% | +5.7% | +50.5% | +84.1% | +110.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 19.9x trailing earnings, ADUS trades at a 22% valuation discount to OPCH's 25.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, OPCH's 12.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CHE's 17.3x.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | OPCHOption Care Healt… | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | AVAHAveanna Healthcar… | EHABEnhabit, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.8B | $5.1B | $1.9B | $1.5B | $686M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.9B | $4.9B | $2.0B | $3.0B | $1.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 22.26x | 25.36x | 19.87x | -129.81x | -4.38x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 16.75x | 17.36x | 15.01x | 12.16x | 22.50x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | 0.99x | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.31x | 12.02x | 13.19x | 17.26x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.29x | 0.90x | 1.35x | 0.76x | 0.66x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.03x | 3.91x | 1.76x | — | 1.23x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 17.77x | 19.70x | — | 58.24x | 14.47x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CHE delivers a 27.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $27 in annual profit, vs $-2 for EHAB. CHE carries lower financial leverage with a 0.15x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to EHAB's 1.03x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ADUS scores 7/9 vs EHAB's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | OPCHOption Care Healt… | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | AVAHAveanna Healthcar… | EHABEnhabit, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +27.1% | +15.7% | +8.8% | — | -2.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +17.2% | +6.0% | +6.7% | +1.0% | -1.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +23.8% | +15.3% | +8.8% | +8.0% | -7.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +25.7% | +12.8% | +10.9% | +11.1% | -9.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.15x | — | 0.19x | — | 1.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $69M | -$233M | $127M | $1.4B | $541M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $75M | $233M | $82M | $84M | $28M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $144M | $0 | $209M | $1.5B | $570M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 112.39x | 3.39x | 11.40x | 1.34x | 0.93x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in OPCH five years ago would be worth $16,419 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,444 for EHAB. Over the past 12 months, AVAH leads with a +72.8% total return vs CHE's -31.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AVAH at 82.0% vs CHE's -7.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | OPCHOption Care Healt… | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | AVAHAveanna Healthcar… | EHABEnhabit, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -3.1% | +0.7% | -2.9% | -8.9% | +49.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -31.4% | -3.1% | +8.1% | +72.8% | +62.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -20.3% | +5.8% | -4.7% | +503.3% | -11.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -6.1% | +64.2% | +1.0% | -38.7% | -45.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +230.4% | +275.7% | +356.1% | -38.7% | -45.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -7.3% | +1.9% | -1.6% | +82.0% | -3.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CHE is the less volatile stock with a 0.27 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AVAH's 0.82 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. EHAB currently trades 99.8% from its 52-week high vs CHE's 65.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | OPCHOption Care Healt… | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | AVAHAveanna Healthcar… | EHABEnhabit, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.27x | 0.32x | 0.41x | 0.82x | 0.56x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $623.61 | $36.80 | $124.44 | $10.32 | $13.64 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $385.10 | $24.24 | $88.96 | $3.67 | $6.47 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +65.7% | +88.2% | +83.2% | +71.3% | +99.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 28.2 | 34.7 | 41.0 | 33.7 | 84.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 128K | 1.4M | 173K | 978K | 419K |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: CHE as "Hold", OPCH as "Buy", ADUS as "Buy", AVAH as "Hold", EHAB as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 51.8% upside for AVAH (target: $11) vs -0.6% for EHAB (target: $14). CHE is the only dividend payer here at 0.54% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CHEChemed Corporation | OPCHOption Care Healt… | ADUSAddus HomeCare Co… | AVAHAveanna Healthcar… | EHABEnhabit, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy | Buy | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $475.00 | $38.14 | $132.75 | $11.17 | $13.53 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 9 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 11 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 18 | 1 | 2 | — | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.20 | — | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +7.5% | +6.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jul 22 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 100 | 90.51 | -9.5% |
| Option Care Health,… (OPCH) | 100 | 121.31 | +21.3% |
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 100 | 124.46 | +24.5% |
| Aveanna Healthcare … (AVAH) | 100 | 351.48 | +251.5% |
| Enhabit, Inc. (EHAB) | 90.96 | 43.08 | -52.6% |
Option Care Health,… (OPCH) returned +64% over 5 years vs Enhabit, Inc. (EHAB)'s -46%. A $10,000 investment in OPCH 5 years ago would be worth $16,419 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | $1.6B | $2.5B | +60.4% |
| Option Care Health,… (OPCH) | $936M | $5.6B | +503.8% |
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | $401M | $1.4B | +255.0% |
| Aveanna Healthcare … (AVAH) | $1.3B | $2.0B | +61.5% |
| Enhabit, Inc. (EHAB) | $1.1B | $1.0B | -4.0% |
Chemed Corporation's revenue grew from $1.6B (2016) to $2.5B (2025) — a 5.4% CAGR. Option Care Health, Inc.'s revenue grew from $936M (2016) to $5.6B (2025) — a 22.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 6.9% | 10.5% | +52.0% |
| Option Care Health,… (OPCH) | -4.6% | 3.7% | +180.4% |
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 3.0% | 6.7% | +124.7% |
| Aveanna Healthcare … (AVAH) | -3.8% | -0.5% | +85.6% |
| Enhabit, Inc. (EHAB) | 7.0% | -15.1% | -317.0% |
Chemed Corporation's net margin went from 7% (2016) to 10% (2025). Option Care Health, Inc.'s net margin went from -5% (2016) to 4% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 41.5 | 23.2 | -44.1% |
| Option Care Health,… (OPCH) | 36.9 | 24.9 | -32.5% |
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 29.7 | 20.6 | -30.6% |
Chemed Corporation has traded in a 23x–42x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~22x. Option Care Health, Inc. has traded in a 19x–37x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~25x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemed Corporation (CHE) | 6.48 | 18.42 | +184.3% |
| Option Care Health,… (OPCH) | -1.77 | 1.28 | +172.3% |
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 1.04 | 5.21 | +401.0% |
| Aveanna Healthcare … (AVAH) | -0.26 | -0.06 | +78.2% |
| Enhabit, Inc. (EHAB) | 19.23 | -3.11 | -116.2% |
Chemed Corporation's EPS grew from $6.48 (2016) to $18.42 (2025) — a 12% CAGR. Option Care Health, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.77 (2016) to $1.28 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Chemed Corporation generated $325M FCF in 2025 (+30% vs 2021). Option Care Health, Inc. generated $258M FCF in 2025 (+41% vs 2021).
CHE vs OPCH vs ADUS vs AVAH vs EHAB: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CHE or OPCH or ADUS or AVAH or EHAB a better buy right now?
Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) offers the better valuation at 19.9x trailing P/E (15.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Option Care Health, Inc. (OPCH) 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 — CHE or OPCH or ADUS or AVAH or EHAB?
On trailing P/E, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the cheapest at 19.9x versus Option Care Health, Inc. at 25.4x. On forward P/E, Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. is actually cheaper at 12.2x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CHE or OPCH or ADUS or AVAH or EHAB?
Over the past 5 years, Option Care Health, Inc. (OPCH) delivered a total return of +64.2%, compared to -45.6% for Enhabit, Inc. (EHAB). A $10,000 investment in OPCH five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ADUS returned +356.1% versus EHAB's -45.6%. 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 OPCH or ADUS or AVAH or EHAB?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Chemed Corporation (CHE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.27β versus Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc.'s 0.82β — meaning AVAH is approximately 201% 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 103% for Enhabit, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CHE or OPCH or ADUS or AVAH or EHAB?
Chemed Corporation (CHE) is the more profitable company, earning 10.5% net margin versus -15.1% for Enhabit, 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 -11.1% for EHAB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EHAB leads at 48.7%, 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.
06Is CHE or OPCH or ADUS or AVAH or EHAB more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. (AVAH) trades at 12.2x forward P/E versus 22.5x for Enhabit, Inc. — 10.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AVAH: 51.8% to $11.17.
07Which pays a better dividend — CHE or OPCH or ADUS or AVAH or EHAB?
In this comparison, CHE (0.5% yield) pays a dividend. OPCH, ADUS, AVAH, EHAB do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is CHE or OPCH or ADUS or AVAH or EHAB 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%, AVAH: -38.7%), 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.
09What are the main differences between CHE and OPCH and ADUS and AVAH and EHAB?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. CHE pays a dividend while OPCH, ADUS, AVAH, EHAB 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.
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