Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI) vs Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. (SBRA) 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 | NHI | 12.1% revenue growth vs SBRA's 10.2% |
| Value | NHI | Lower P/E (25.5x vs 29.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | NHI | 380.5% net margin vs SBRA's 20.0% |
| Stability / Safety | SBRA | Beta 0.05 vs NHI's 0.16 |
| Dividends | SBRA | 5.8% yield; NHI pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | SBRA | +30.9% vs NHI's +22.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NHI | 47.0% ROA vs SBRA's 2.8% |
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
National Health Investors is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns and finances senior housing and medical properties through sale-leaseback transactions and joint ventures. It generates revenue primarily from rental income — about 90% from senior housing and 10% from medical facilities — with long-term triple-net leases that pass operating expenses to tenants. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized healthcare real estate expertise and relationships with established operators in the senior living sector.
Sabra Health Care REIT is a real estate investment trust that owns and leases healthcare properties—primarily skilled nursing facilities and senior housing communities—to operators across the U.S. and Canada. It generates revenue almost entirely from rental income collected under long-term triple-net leases, where tenants cover most property expenses. Its competitive advantage lies in its specialized healthcare real estate portfolio and long-term relationships with established operators in a fragmented industry.
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
SBRA leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). NHI leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NHI is the larger business by revenue, generating $37.3B annually — 48.2x SBRA's $775M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 3.8% (NHI) to 20.0% (SBRA). On growth, NHI holds the edge at +431.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | NHINational Health I… | SBRASabra Health Care… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $37.3B | $775M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $81.2B | $412M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $142.0B | $155M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $163M | $261M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +0.9% | +48.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +0.5% | +25.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.8% | +20.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +0.4% | +33.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +431.0% | +16.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -15.8% | -100.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NHINational Health I… | SBRASabra Health Care… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $4.1B | $5.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | -$15.6B | $6.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 27.84x | — |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 25.54x | 29.34x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | -0.19x | 18.68x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 10.81x | 6.68x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.59x | 1.78x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 17.17x | 14.84x |
Profitability & Efficiency
NHI delivers a 92.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $93 in annual profit, vs $5 for SBRA. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SBRA scores 6/9 vs NHI's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | NHINational Health I… | SBRASabra Health Care… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +92.8% | +5.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +47.0% | +2.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.45x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$19.6B | $1.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $19.6B | $72M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $1.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in SBRA five years ago would be worth $15,120 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $14,828 for NHI. Over the past 12 months, SBRA leads with a +30.9% total return vs NHI's +22.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SBRA at 26.6% vs NHI's 19.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NHINational Health I… | SBRASabra Health Care… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +9.4% | +8.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +22.4% | +30.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +72.6% | +102.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +48.3% | +51.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +94.4% | +76.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +19.9% | +26.6% |
Risk & Volatility
SBRA is the less volatile stock with a 0.05 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NHI's 0.16 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SBRA currently trades 97.5% from its 52-week high vs NHI's 92.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NHINational Health I… | SBRASabra Health Care… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.16x | 0.05x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $91.05 | $21.07 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $66.41 | $15.75 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +92.3% | +97.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 60.3 | 69.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 182K | 2.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NHI as "Hold" and SBRA as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 3.8% upside for SBRA (target: $21) vs 1.3% for NHI (target: $85). SBRA is the only dividend payer here at 5.76% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | NHINational Health I… | SBRASabra Health Care… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $85.20 | $21.33 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 18 | 29 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +5.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.18 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Health Inv… (NHI) | 100 | 97.44 | -2.6% |
| Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) | 100 | 93.74 | -6.3% |
Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) returned +51% over 5 years vs National Health Inv… (NHI)'s +48%. A $10,000 investment in SBRA 5 years ago would be worth $15,120 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Health Inv… (NHI) | $249M | $376M | +51.2% |
| Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) | $261M | $775M | +197.3% |
National Health Investors, Inc.'s revenue grew from $249M (2016) to $376M (2025) — a 4.7% CAGR. Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.'s revenue grew from $261M (2016) to $775M (2025) — a 12.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Health Inv… (NHI) | 61.0% | 378.0% | +519.8% |
| Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) | 27.0% | 20.0% | -25.7% |
National Health Investors, Inc.'s net margin went from 61% (2016) to 378% (2025). Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.'s net margin went from 27% (2016) to 20% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Health Inv… (NHI) | 19.5 | 25.3 | +29.7% |
| Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) | 13.4 | 32.1 | +139.6% |
National Health Investors, Inc. has traded in a 18x–102x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~28x. Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. has traded in a 11x–242x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~32x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Health Inv… (NHI) | 3.87 | 3.02 | -22.0% |
| Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) | 0.92 | 0 | -100.0% |
National Health Investors, Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.87 (2016) to $3.02 (2025) — a -3% CAGR. Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.92 (2016) to $0.00 (2025) — a -100% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
National Health Investors, Inc. generated $237M FCF in 2025 (+12% vs 2021). Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. generated $349M FCF in 2025 (+8% vs 2021).
NHI vs SBRA: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NHI or SBRA a better buy right now?
National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI) offers the better valuation at 27.8x trailing P/E (25.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI) a "Hold" — based on 18 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 — NHI or SBRA?
On forward P/E, National Health Investors, Inc. is actually cheaper at 25.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — NHI or SBRA?
Over the past 5 years, Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. (SBRA) delivered a total return of +51.2%, compared to +48.3% for National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI). A $10,000 investment in SBRA five years ago would be worth approximately $15K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NHI returned +94.4% versus SBRA's +76.5%. 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 — NHI or SBRA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. (SBRA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.05β versus National Health Investors, Inc.'s 0.16β — meaning NHI is approximately 235% more volatile than SBRA relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — NHI or SBRA?
National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI) is the more profitable company, earning 378.0% net margin versus 20.0% for Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. — meaning it keeps 378.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SBRA leads at 25.7% versus 0.5% for NHI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SBRA leads at 48.0%, 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 NHI or SBRA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI) trades at 25.5x forward P/E versus 29.3x for Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. — 3.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SBRA: 3.8% to $21.33.
07Which pays a better dividend — NHI or SBRA?
In this comparison, SBRA (5.8% yield) pays a dividend. NHI does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is NHI or SBRA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. (SBRA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.05), 5.8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SBRA: +76.5%, NHI: +94.4%), 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 NHI and SBRA?
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: NHI is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SBRA is a small-cap income-oriented stock. SBRA pays a dividend while NHI 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.