EHAB vs SEM vs ENSG vs ADUS vs ACHC

For growth investors, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the stronger pick with 23.

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 4% for Enhabit, Inc. (EHAB). Select Medical Holdings Corporation (SEM) offers the better valuation at 13. 9x trailing P/E (13. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Ensign Group, Inc. (ENSG) a "Buy" — based on 13 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, Select Medical Holdings Corporation (SEM) is the cheapest at 13.

9x versus The Ensign Group, Inc. at 29. 8x. On forward P/E, Select Medical Holdings Corporation is actually cheaper at 13. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Addus HomeCare Corporation wins at 0. 71x versus The Ensign Group, Inc. 's 1. 64x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, The Ensign Group, Inc.

(ENSG) delivered a total return of +103. 2%, compared to -61. 8% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ENSG returned +738. 2% versus ACHC's -57. 2%. 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), Enhabit, Inc.

(EHAB) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 35β versus Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. 's 0. 82β — meaning ACHC is approximately 134% more volatile than EHAB relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 19% versus 186% for The Ensign Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is pulling ahead at 23.

2% versus 2. 4% for Enhabit, Inc. (EHAB). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Enhabit, Inc. grew EPS 97. 1% year-over-year, compared to -537. 4% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ENSG leads at 18. 7% 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.

The Ensign Group, Inc.

(ENSG) is the more profitable company, earning 6. 8% net margin versus -33. 3% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — meaning it keeps 6. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ACHC leads at 11. 7% versus 6. 0% for EHAB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EHAB leads at 46. 9%, 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, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 71x versus The Ensign Group, Inc. 's 1. 64x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Select Medical Holdings Corporation (SEM) trades at 13. 4x forward P/E versus 22. 9x for Enhabit, Inc. — 9. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ADUS: 32. 3% to $128. 67.

In this comparison, SEM (1.

5% yield), ENSG (0. 1% yield) pay a dividend. EHAB, ADUS, ACHC do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, The Ensign Group, Inc.

(ENSG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 38), +738. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ENSG: +738. 2%, ACHC: -57. 2%), 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: EHAB is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SEM is a small-cap deep-value stock; ENSG is a mid-cap high-growth stock; ADUS is a small-cap high-growth stock; ACHC is a small-cap quality compounder stock. SEM pays a dividend while EHAB, ENSG, ADUS, ACHC 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.