EYE vs ACHC

For growth investors, National Vision Holdings, Inc.

(EYE) is the stronger pick with 9. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 0% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). National Vision Holdings, Inc. (EYE) offers the better valuation at 61. 7x trailing P/E (32. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate National Vision Holdings, Inc. (EYE) 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.

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, National Vision Holdings, Inc.

(EYE) delivered a total return of -55. 4%, compared to -61. 8% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EYE returned -18. 0% 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), Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.

(ACHC) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 84β versus National Vision Holdings, Inc. 's 1. 62β — meaning EYE is approximately 92% more volatile than ACHC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, National Vision Holdings, Inc. (EYE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 80% versus 124% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), National Vision Holdings, Inc.

(EYE) is pulling ahead at 9. 0% versus 5. 0% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: National Vision Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 202. 8% year-over-year, compared to -537. 4% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ACHC leads at 8. 3% 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.

National Vision Holdings, Inc.

(EYE) is the more profitable company, earning 1. 5% net margin versus -33. 3% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — meaning it keeps 1. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ACHC leads at 11. 7% versus 3. 1% for EYE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EYE leads at 54. 2%, 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 32. 6x for National Vision Holdings, Inc. — 16. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EYE: 54. 2% to $35. 20.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.

(ACHC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 84)). National Vision Holdings, Inc. (EYE) carries a higher beta of 1. 62 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ACHC: -58. 5%, EYE: -18. 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 (EYE (Consumer Cyclical) and ACHC (Healthcare)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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.