EHTH vs EHC vs UNH vs HUM vs CVS

For growth investors, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) is the stronger pick with 11.

8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 1% for eHealth, Inc. (EHTH). Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) offers the better valuation at 19. 2x trailing P/E (17. 7x 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 trailing P/E, Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) is the cheapest at 19.

2x versus CVS Health Corporation at 65. 1x. On forward P/E, CVS Health Corporation is actually cheaper at 12. 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 +59.

4%, compared to -97. 0% for eHealth, Inc. (EHTH). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EHC returned +248. 9% versus EHTH's -85. 0%. 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), CVS Health Corporation (CVS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

13β versus eHealth, Inc. 's 2. 08β — meaning EHTH is approximately 1502% more volatile than CVS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, eHealth, Inc. (EHTH) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 14% versus 124% for CVS Health Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) is pulling ahead at 11.

8% versus 4. 1% for eHealth, Inc. (EHTH). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: eHealth, Inc. grew EPS 71. 4% year-over-year, compared to -62. 0% for CVS Health Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, HUM leads at 11. 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.

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

5% net margin versus 0. 4% for CVS Health Corporation — 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 1. 1% for HUM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EHTH leads at 97. 5%, 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, CVS Health Corporation (CVS) trades at 12.

4x forward P/E versus 30. 8x for Humana Inc. — 18. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EHC: 32. 0% to $140. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

eHealth, Inc. (EHTH) offers the highest yield at 10. 2%, versus 0. 7% for Encompass Health Corporation (EHC).

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

13), 3. 0% yield). eHealth, Inc. (EHTH) carries a higher beta of 2. 08 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CVS: +6. 6%, EHTH: -85. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (EHTH (Financial Services) and EHC (Healthcare) and UNH (Healthcare) and HUM (Healthcare) and CVS (Healthcare)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: EHTH is a small-cap income-oriented stock; EHC is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; UNH is a large-cap quality compounder stock; HUM is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CVS is a mid-cap quality compounder 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.