GEO vs UHS vs ACHC vs HCA

For growth investors, Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is the stronger pick with 9. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 0% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) offers the better valuation at 7. 4x trailing P/E (7. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The GEO Group, Inc. (GEO) a "Buy" — based on 12 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, Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is the cheapest at 7. 4x versus HCA Healthcare, Inc. at 15. 3x. On forward P/E, Universal Health Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Universal Health Services, Inc. wins at 0. 45x versus The GEO Group, Inc. 's 1. 26x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

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

(GEO) delivered a total return of +263. 3%, compared to -60. 3% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HCA returned +457. 9% 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), HCA Healthcare, Inc.

(HCA) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 31β versus The GEO Group, Inc. 's 1. 22β — meaning GEO is approximately 297% more volatile than HCA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 74% versus 124% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is pulling ahead at 9. 7% versus 5. 0% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The GEO Group, Inc. grew EPS 727. 3% year-over-year, compared to -537. 4% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, UHS leads at 9. 0% 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 GEO Group, Inc.

(GEO) is the more profitable company, earning 9. 7% net margin versus -33. 3% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HCA leads at 15. 8% versus 9. 8% for GEO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UHS leads at 90. 4%, 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, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 45x versus The GEO Group, Inc. 's 1. 26x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) trades at 7. 3x forward P/E versus 17. 8x for The GEO Group, Inc. — 10. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for UHS: 33. 0% to $226. 00.

In this comparison, HCA (0.

7% yield), UHS (0. 5% yield) pay a dividend. GEO, ACHC do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, HCA Healthcare, Inc.

(HCA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 31), 0. 7% yield, +457. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HCA: +457. 9%, GEO: +38. 6%), 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 (GEO (Industrials) and UHS (Healthcare) and ACHC (Healthcare) and HCA (Healthcare)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: GEO is a small-cap deep-value stock; UHS is a mid-cap deep-value stock; ACHC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; HCA is a mid-cap deep-value stock. HCA pays a dividend while GEO, UHS, 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.