Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) vs Community Health Systems, Inc. (CYH) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | HCA | 7.1% revenue growth vs CYH's -1.2% |
| Value | CYH | Lower P/E (0.9x vs 17.5x) |
| Quality / Margins | HCA | 9.0% net margin vs CYH's 4.1% |
| Stability / Safety | HCA | Beta 0.29 vs CYH's 1.24 |
| Dividends | HCA | 0.6% yield; 5-year raise streak; CYH pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | HCA | +73.9% vs CYH's +15.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | HCA | 11.2% ROA vs CYH's 3.9%, ROIC 19.9% vs 21.0% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
HCA Healthcare is one of the largest for-profit hospital operators in the United States, providing comprehensive medical and surgical services through its network of acute care hospitals and outpatient facilities. It generates revenue primarily from patient services — including inpatient hospital stays, outpatient procedures, and emergency care — with the vast majority coming from government programs like Medicare and Medicaid alongside private insurance reimbursements. The company's scale advantage — operating over 180 hospitals concentrated in high-growth markets — creates significant purchasing power with suppliers and negotiating leverage with payers.
Community Health Systems operates a network of general acute care hospitals across the United States. It generates revenue primarily from patient services — including inpatient care, emergency room visits, surgeries, and outpatient services — with Medicare and Medicaid representing significant portions of its payer mix. The company's scale as one of the largest for-profit hospital operators provides purchasing power and geographic diversification across multiple states.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
HCA leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). CYH leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
HCA is the larger business by revenue, generating $75.6B annually — 6.1x CYH's $12.5B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 9.0% (HCA) to 4.1% (CYH). On growth, HCA holds the edge at +6.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | CYHCommunity Health … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $75.6B | $12.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $15.5B | $1.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $6.8B | $509M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $7.7B | $302M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +41.5% | +56.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +15.8% | +11.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +9.0% | +4.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +10.2% | +2.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.7% | -4.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +44.6% | +2.5% |
Valuation Metrics
At 0.9x trailing earnings, CYH trades at a 95% valuation discount to HCA's 18.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CYH's 0.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than HCA's 10.8x.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | CYHCommunity Health … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $118.5B | $485M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $167.6B | $888M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.66x | 0.92x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 17.50x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.89x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.82x | 0.46x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.57x | 0.04x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 15.40x | 2.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CYH scores 8/9 vs HCA's 7/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | CYHCommunity Health … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.2% | +3.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +19.9% | +21.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +27.0% | +13.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $49.2B | $403M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.0B | $260M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $50.2B | $663M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 5.37x | 0.86x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in HCA five years ago would be worth $30,878 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,927 for CYH. Over the past 12 months, HCA leads with a +73.9% total return vs CYH's +15.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors HCA at 30.2% vs CYH's -17.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | CYHCommunity Health … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +12.6% | +11.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +73.9% | +15.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +120.8% | -42.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +208.8% | -60.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +688.3% | -77.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +30.2% | -17.0% |
Risk & Volatility
HCA is the less volatile stock with a 0.29 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CYH's 1.24 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. HCA currently trades 95.8% from its 52-week high vs CYH's 77.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | CYHCommunity Health … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.29x | 1.24x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $552.90 | $4.47 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $295.00 | $2.24 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +95.8% | +77.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.0 | 63.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 879K | 1.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates HCA as "Buy" and CYH as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply -1.1% upside for HCA (target: $524) vs -1.7% for CYH (target: $3). HCA is the only dividend payer here at 0.56% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | CYHCommunity Health … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $523.92 | $3.40 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 46 | 37 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.6% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 5 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.94 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +8.5% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 100 | 367.9 | +267.9% |
| Community Health Sy… (CYH) | 100 | 65.37 | -34.6% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) returned +209% over 5 years vs Community Health Sy… (CYH)'s -61%. A $10,000 investment in HCA 5 years ago would be worth $30,878 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | $41.5B | $75.6B | +82.2% |
| Community Health Sy… (CYH) | $18.4B | $12.5B | -32.3% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s revenue grew from $41.5B (2016) to $75.6B (2025) — a 6.9% CAGR. Community Health Systems, Inc.'s revenue grew from $18.4B (2016) to $12.5B (2025) — a -4.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 7.0% | 9.0% | +28.8% |
| Community Health Sy… (CYH) | -9.3% | 4.1% | +143.7% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s net margin went from 7% (2016) to 9% (2025). Community Health Systems, Inc.'s net margin went from -9% (2016) to 4% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 14.8 | 16.5 | +11.5% |
| Community Health Sy… (CYH) | 1.7 | 0.8 | -52.9% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc. has traded in a 12x–17x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~19x. Community Health Systems, Inc. has traded in a 1x–12x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~1x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 7.3 | 28.38 | +288.8% |
| Community Health Sy… (CYH) | -15.54 | 3.77 | +124.3% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s EPS grew from $7.30 (2016) to $28.38 (2025) — a 16% CAGR. Community Health Systems, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-15.54 (2016) to $3.77 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
HCA Healthcare, Inc. generated $8B FCF in 2025 (+43% vs 2021). Community Health Systems, Inc. generated $208M FCF in 2025 (+135% vs 2021).
HCA vs CYH: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is HCA or CYH a better buy right now?
Community Health Systems, Inc. (CYH) offers the better valuation at 0.9x trailing P/E, 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.
02Which has the better valuation — HCA or CYH?
On trailing P/E, Community Health Systems, Inc. (CYH) is the cheapest at 0.9x versus HCA Healthcare, Inc. at 18.7x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — HCA or CYH?
Over the past 5 years, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) delivered a total return of +208.8%, compared to -60.7% for Community Health Systems, Inc. (CYH). 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: HCA returned +688.3% versus CYH's -77.1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — HCA or CYH?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.29β versus Community Health Systems, Inc.'s 1.24β — meaning CYH is approximately 321% more volatile than HCA relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — HCA or CYH?
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the more profitable company, earning 9.0% net margin versus 4.1% for Community Health Systems, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HCA leads at 15.8% versus 11.9% for CYH. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CYH leads at 56.7%, 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.
06Is HCA or CYH more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HCA: -1.1% to $523.92.
07Which pays a better dividend — HCA or CYH?
In this comparison, HCA (0.6% yield) pays a dividend. CYH does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is HCA or CYH better for a retirement portfolio?
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%, CYH: -77.1%), 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.
09What are the main differences between HCA and CYH?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: HCA is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CYH is a small-cap deep-value stock. HCA pays a dividend while CYH 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.
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