Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) vs Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | HCA | 7.1% revenue growth vs MPW's -2.4% |
| Value | HCA | Lower P/E (17.5x vs 47.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | HCA | 9.0% net margin vs MPW's -20.4% |
| Stability / Safety | HCA | Beta 0.29 vs MPW's 0.72 |
| Dividends | HCA | 0.6% yield; 5-year raise streak; MPW pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | HCA | +73.9% vs MPW's -2.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | HCA | 11.2% ROA vs MPW's -1.3% |
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.
Medical Properties Trust is a real estate investment trust that acquires and leases hospital facilities to healthcare operators. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases—where tenants pay rent plus property expenses—with hospital operators across nine countries. The company's moat lies in its specialized expertise in hospital real estate and its ability to provide capital solutions that allow operators to monetize their real estate assets while maintaining operational control.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
HCA leads in 4 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). MPW leads in 1 (Financial Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
HCA is the larger business by revenue, generating $75.6B annually — 77.8x MPW's $972M. HCA is the more profitable business, keeping 9.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MPW's -20.4%. On growth, MPW holds the edge at +14.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $75.6B | $972M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $15.5B | $663M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $6.8B | -$199M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $7.7B | $0 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +41.5% | +55.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +15.8% | +38.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +9.0% | -20.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +10.2% | +23.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.7% | +14.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +44.6% | +123.2% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, HCA's 10.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than MPW's 100.9x.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $118.5B | $3.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $167.6B | $2.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.66x | -16.48x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 17.50x | 47.59x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.89x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.82x | 100.95x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.57x | 3.34x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 0.71x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 15.40x | 14.07x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), HCA scores 7/9 vs MPW's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | -4.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.2% | -1.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +19.9% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +27.0% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $49.2B | -$413M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.0B | $541M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $50.2B | $128M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 5.37x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in HCA five years ago would be worth $30,878 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,351 for MPW. Over the past 12 months, HCA leads with a +73.9% total return vs MPW's -2.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors HCA at 30.2% vs MPW's -11.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +12.6% | +7.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +73.9% | -2.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +120.8% | -31.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +208.8% | -56.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +688.3% | +24.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +30.2% | -11.6% |
Risk & Volatility
HCA is the less volatile stock with a 0.29 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MPW's 0.72 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 MPW's 85.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.29x | 0.72x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $552.90 | $6.34 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $295.00 | $3.95 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +95.8% | +85.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.0 | 64.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 879K | 5.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates HCA as "Buy" and MPW as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply -1.1% upside for HCA (target: $524) vs -8.1% for MPW (target: $5). HCA is the only dividend payer here at 0.56% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $523.92 | $5.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 46 | 28 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.6% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 5 | 0 |
| 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% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 100 | 22.53 | -77.5% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) returned +209% over 5 years vs Medical Properties … (MPW)'s -56%. 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% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | $541M | $972M | +79.6% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s revenue grew from $41.5B (2016) to $75.6B (2025) — a 6.9% CAGR. Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s revenue grew from $541M (2016) to $972M (2025) — a 6.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 7.0% | 9.0% | +28.8% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 41.6% | -20.4% | -149.2% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s net margin went from 7% (2016) to 9% (2025). Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s net margin went from 42% (2016) to -20% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 14.8 | 16.5 | +11.5% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 16.8 | 7.4 | -56.0% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc. has traded in a 12x–17x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~19x. Medical Properties Trust, Inc. has traded in a 6x–27x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~-16x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 7.3 | 28.38 | +288.8% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 0.86 | -0.33 | -138.4% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s EPS grew from $7.30 (2016) to $28.38 (2025) — a 16% CAGR. Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.86 (2016) to $-0.33 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
HCA Healthcare, Inc. generated $8B FCF in 2025 (+43% vs 2021). Medical Properties Trust, Inc. generated $231M FCF in 2025 (-69% vs 2021).
HCA vs MPW: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is HCA or MPW a better buy right now?
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.
02Which has the better valuation — HCA or MPW?
On forward P/E, HCA Healthcare, Inc. is actually cheaper at 17.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — HCA or MPW?
Over the past 5 years, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) delivered a total return of +208.8%, compared to -56.5% for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW). 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 MPW's +24.1%. 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 MPW?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.29β versus Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s 0.72β — meaning MPW is approximately 146% more volatile than HCA relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — HCA or MPW?
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the more profitable company, earning 9.0% net margin versus -20.4% for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MPW leads at 38.1% versus 15.8% for HCA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MPW leads at 55.7%, 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 MPW more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) trades at 17.5x forward P/E versus 47.6x for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. — 30.1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HCA: -1.1% to $523.92.
07Which pays a better dividend — HCA or MPW?
In this comparison, HCA (0.6% yield) pays a dividend. MPW does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is HCA or MPW 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%, MPW: +24.1%), 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 MPW?
These companies operate in different sectors (HCA (Healthcare) and MPW (Real Estate)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. HCA pays a dividend while MPW 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.