EHC vs ACHC

For growth investors, Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) is the stronger pick with 10.

5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 0% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) offers the better valuation at 19. 3x trailing P/E (18. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) a "Buy" — based on 26 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 forward P/E, Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 16. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) delivered a total return of +63.

3%, compared to -61. 8% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EHC returned +252. 2% versus ACHC's -58. 5%. 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), Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

40β versus Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. 's 0. 84β — meaning ACHC is approximately 108% more volatile than EHC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 83% versus 124% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) is pulling ahead at 10.

5% versus 5. 0% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Encompass Health Corporation grew EPS 24. 2% year-over-year, compared to -537. 4% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, EHC leads at 10. 9% 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.

Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) is the more profitable company, earning 9.

5% net margin versus -33. 3% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EHC leads at 17. 7% versus 11. 7% for ACHC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EHC leads at 95. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.

(ACHC) trades at 16. 4x forward P/E versus 18. 1x for Encompass Health Corporation — 1. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EHC: 42. 8% to $153. 00.

In this comparison, EHC (0.

6% yield) pays a dividend. ACHC does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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

40), 0. 6% yield, +252. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EHC: +252. 2%, ACHC: -58. 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.

Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

EHC pays a dividend while ACHC 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.