Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) vs Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) 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 | MPW | -2.4% revenue growth vs UHT's -100.0% |
| Value | UHT | Lower P/E (25.2x vs 47.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | UHT | 11.8% net margin vs MPW's -20.4% |
| Stability / Safety | UHT | Beta 0.24 vs MPW's 0.72 |
| Dividends | UHT | 6.8% yield; 14-year raise streak; MPW pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | UHT | +16.7% vs MPW's -2.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | UHT | 3.1% 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
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.
Universal Health Realty Income Trust is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns and leases medical facilities including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and medical office buildings. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases — collecting rent from healthcare operators who cover property expenses — with its portfolio spanning 71 properties across 20 states. The trust's competitive advantage lies in its specialized healthcare real estate expertise and stable tenant base of established healthcare providers in recession-resistant medical facilities.
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
UHT leads in 6 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
MPW is the larger business by revenue, generating $972M annually — 6.5x UHT's $149M. UHT is the more profitable business, keeping 11.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MPW's -20.4%. On growth, UHT holds the edge at +2.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | UHTUniversal Health … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $972M | $149M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $663M | $83M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$199M | $18M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $59M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +55.7% | +94.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +38.1% | +36.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -20.4% | +11.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +23.7% | +40.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +14.9% | +2.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +123.2% | -5.9% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, UHT's 20.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than MPW's 100.9x.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | UHTUniversal Health … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.2B | $605M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.8B | $599M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -16.48x | 34.35x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 47.59x | 25.21x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 100.95x | 20.74x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.34x | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.71x | 3.97x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 14.07x | 12.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
UHT delivers a 11.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $12 in annual profit, vs $-4 for MPW. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), MPW scores 5/9 vs UHT's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | UHTUniversal Health … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -4.3% | +11.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -1.3% | +3.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.03x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$413M | -$7M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $541M | $7M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $128M | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in UHT five years ago would be worth $9,261 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,351 for MPW. Over the past 12 months, UHT leads with a +16.7% total return vs MPW's -2.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors UHT at -0.4% vs MPW's -11.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | UHTUniversal Health … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +7.1% | +11.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -2.2% | +16.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -31.0% | -1.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -56.5% | -7.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +24.1% | +37.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -11.6% | -0.4% |
Risk & Volatility
UHT is the less volatile stock with a 0.24 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. UHT currently trades 97.6% from its 52-week high vs MPW's 85.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | UHTUniversal Health … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.72x | 0.24x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $6.34 | $44.70 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.95 | $35.26 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +85.8% | +97.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 64.2 | 70.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 5.7M | 59K |
Analyst Outlook
UHT is the only dividend payer here at 6.78% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | UHTUniversal Health … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $5.00 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 28 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +6.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $2.96 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 100 | 22.53 | -77.5% |
| Universal Health Re… (UHT) | 100 | 36.37 | -63.6% |
Universal Health Re… (UHT) returned -7% over 5 years vs Medical Properties … (MPW)'s -56%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | $541M | $972M | +79.6% |
| Universal Health Re… (UHT) | $67M | $0.00 | -100.0% |
Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s revenue grew from $541M (2016) to $972M (2025) — a 6.7% CAGR. Universal Health Realty Income Trust's revenue grew from $67M (2016) to $0M (2025) — a -100.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 41.6% | -20.4% | -149.2% |
| Universal Health Re… (UHT) | 25.7% | 19.4% | -24.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 16.8 | 7.4 | -56.0% |
| Universal Health Re… (UHT) | 22.4 | 30.9 | +37.9% |
Medical Properties Trust, Inc. has traded in a 6x–27x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~-16x. Universal Health Realty Income Trust has traded in a 8x–85x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~34x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 0.86 | -0.33 | -138.4% |
| Universal Health Re… (UHT) | 1.28 | 1.27 | -0.8% |
Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.86 (2016) to $-0.33 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR. Universal Health Realty Income Trust's EPS grew from $1.28 (2016) to $1.27 (2025) — a -0% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Medical Properties Trust, Inc. generated $231M FCF in 2025 (-69% vs 2021). Universal Health Realty Income Trust generated $49M FCF in 2025 (+41% vs 2021).
MPW vs UHT: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MPW or UHT a better buy right now?
Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) offers the better valuation at 34.3x trailing P/E (25.2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) a "Hold" — based on 28 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 — MPW or UHT?
On forward P/E, Universal Health Realty Income Trust is actually cheaper at 25.2x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — MPW or UHT?
Over the past 5 years, Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) delivered a total return of -7.4%, compared to -56.5% for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW). A $10,000 investment in UHT five years ago would be worth approximately $9K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: UHT returned +37.8% 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 — MPW or UHT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.24β versus Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s 0.72β — meaning MPW is approximately 199% more volatile than UHT relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — MPW or UHT?
Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) is the more profitable company, earning 11.8% net margin versus -20.4% for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. — meaning it keeps 11.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MPW leads at 38.1% versus 36.3% for UHT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UHT leads at 94.4%, 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.
06Is MPW or UHT more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) trades at 25.2x forward P/E versus 47.6x for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. — 22.4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — MPW or UHT?
In this comparison, UHT (6.8% yield) pays a dividend. MPW does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is MPW or UHT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.24), 6.8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (UHT: +37.8%, 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 MPW and UHT?
Both stocks operate in the Real Estate sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: MPW is a small-cap quality compounder stock; UHT is a small-cap income-oriented stock. UHT 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.
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