Compare HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) vs Apple Inc. (AAPL) Stock

HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) offers the better valuation at 18.7x trailing P/E (17.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) a "Buy" — based on 46 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, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the cheapest at 18.7x versus Apple Inc. at 35.4x. On forward P/E, HCA Healthcare, Inc. is actually cheaper at 17.5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: HCA Healthcare, Inc. wins at 0.83x versus Apple Inc.'s 1.74x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) delivered a total return of +208.8%, compared to +110.5% for Apple Inc. (AAPL). A $10,000 investment in HCA five years ago would be worth approximately $31K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% versus HCA's +688.3%. 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 0.29β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately 336% more volatile than HCA relative to the S&P 500.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus 9.0% for HCA Healthcare, Inc. — meaning it keeps 26.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% versus 15.8% for HCA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AAPL 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, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.83x versus Apple Inc.'s 1.74x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) trades at 17.5x forward P/E versus 31.1x for Apple Inc. — 13.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AAPL: 14.7% to $303.11.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) offers the highest yield at 0.6%, versus 0.4% for Apple Inc. (AAPL).

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 0.29), 0.6% yield, +688.3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HCA: +688.3%, AAPL: +1027%), 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 (HCA (Healthcare) and AAPL (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. HCA pays a dividend while AAPL 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.