Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Natural Health Trends Corp. (NHTC) vs Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) 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 | SBH | -0.4% revenue growth vs NHTC's -7.4% |
| Quality / Margins | SBH | 4.9% net margin vs NHTC's -2.2% |
| Stability / Safety | NHTC | Beta 0.28 vs SBH's 0.85, lower leverage |
| Dividends | NHTC | 25.0% yield; SBH pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | SBH | +78.2% vs NHTC's -19.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | SBH | 6.3% ROA vs NHTC's -2.3%, ROIC 11.4% vs -6.5% |
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
Natural Health Trends is a direct-selling and e-commerce company that sells wellness, beauty, and lifestyle products under the NHT Global brand. It generates revenue primarily through multi-level marketing commissions — where independent distributors earn on their own sales and those in their downline — supplemented by direct e-commerce sales to consumers. The company's competitive advantage lies in its established distributor network across multiple international markets, which creates a built-in sales force and customer base.
Sally Beauty Holdings is a specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies operating through two main segments. The company generates revenue primarily from its Sally Beauty Supply stores serving retail customers (~60% of sales) and its Beauty Systems Group segment selling directly to salons and professionals through stores and sales forces (~40%). Its competitive advantage lies in its extensive physical store network—nearly 4,800 locations—and dual-channel approach that serves both retail consumers and professional salon clients.
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
SBH leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). NHTC leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
SBH is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.7B annually — 93.2x NHTC's $40M. SBH is the more profitable business, keeping 4.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NHTC's -2.2%. On growth, SBH holds the edge at +0.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | SBHSally Beauty Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $40M | $3.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$2M | $378M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$882,000 | $180M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$5M | $253M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +73.5% | +51.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -4.5% | +8.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -2.2% | +4.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -12.4% | +6.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -10.1% | +0.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -4.3% | -22.4% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | SBHSally Beauty Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $37M | $1.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $33M | $3.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -41.72x | 8.50x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 7.77x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.62x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 6.97x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.93x | 0.42x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.57x | 2.10x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 9.07x |
Profitability & Efficiency
SBH delivers a 21.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $22 in annual profit, vs $-4 for NHTC. NHTC carries lower financial leverage with a 0.13x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SBH's 1.97x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SBH scores 8/9 vs NHTC's 2/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | SBHSally Beauty Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -3.8% | +21.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.3% | +6.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -6.5% | +11.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -6.1% | +14.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.13x | 1.97x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$4M | $1.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $7M | $149M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3M | $1.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 3.74x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NHTC five years ago would be worth $10,807 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $9,079 for SBH. Over the past 12 months, SBH leads with a +78.2% total return vs NHTC's -19.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NHTC at 2.6% vs SBH's -0.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | SBHSally Beauty Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +7.1% | +10.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -19.8% | +78.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +8.1% | -0.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +8.1% | -9.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -56.2% | -49.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +2.6% | -0.0% |
Risk & Volatility
NHTC is the less volatile stock with a 0.28 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SBH's 0.85 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SBH currently trades 89.7% from its 52-week high vs NHTC's 53.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | SBHSally Beauty Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.28x | 0.85x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $6.00 | $17.92 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $2.40 | $7.54 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +53.3% | +89.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 40.3 | 57.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 30K | 1.5M |
Analyst Outlook
NHTC is the only dividend payer here at 25.04% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | SBHSally Beauty Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $17.75 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 30 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +25.0% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.80 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +3.4% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) | 100 | 112.13 | +12.1% |
| Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) | 100 | 131.5 | +31.5% |
Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) returned +8% over 5 years vs Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH)'s -9%. A $10,000 investment in NHTC 5 years ago would be worth $10,807 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) | $288M | $40M | -86.2% |
| Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) | $4.0B | $3.7B | -6.4% |
Natural Health Trends Corp.'s revenue grew from $288M (2016) to $40M (2025) — a -19.7% CAGR. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc.'s revenue grew from $4.0B (2016) to $3.7B (2025) — a -0.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) | 19.1% | -2.2% | -111.6% |
| Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) | 5.6% | 5.3% | -6.2% |
Natural Health Trends Corp.'s net margin went from 19% (2016) to -2% (2025). Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc.'s net margin went from 6% (2016) to 5% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) | 7.3 | 92.8 | +1171.2% |
| Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) | 12 | 7.5 | -37.5% |
Natural Health Trends Corp. has traded in a 7x–125x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~-42x. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. has traded in a 7x–13x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~9x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) | 4.83 | -0.08 | -101.6% |
| Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) | 1.5 | 1.89 | +26.0% |
Natural Health Trends Corp.'s EPS grew from $4.83 (2016) to $-0.08 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.50 (2016) to $1.89 (2025) — a 3% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Natural Health Trends Corp. generated $-6M FCF in 2025 (-867% vs 2021). Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. generated $173M FCF in 2025 (-44% vs 2021).
NHTC vs SBH: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NHTC or SBH a better buy right now?
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) offers the better valuation at 8.5x trailing P/E (7.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) a "Hold" — based on 30 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 is the better long-term investment — NHTC or SBH?
Over the past 5 years, Natural Health Trends Corp. (NHTC) delivered a total return of +8.1%, compared to -9.2% for Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH). A $10,000 investment in NHTC five years ago would be worth approximately $11K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SBH returned -49.1% versus NHTC's -56.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — NHTC or SBH?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Natural Health Trends Corp. (NHTC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.28β versus Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc.'s 0.85β — meaning SBH is approximately 203% more volatile than NHTC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Natural Health Trends Corp. (NHTC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 13% versus 197% for Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — NHTC or SBH?
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) is the more profitable company, earning 5.3% net margin versus -2.2% for Natural Health Trends Corp. — meaning it keeps 5.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SBH leads at 8.9% versus -4.5% for NHTC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NHTC leads at 73.5%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — NHTC or SBH?
In this comparison, NHTC (25.0% yield) pays a dividend. SBH does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is NHTC or SBH better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Natural Health Trends Corp. (NHTC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.28), 25.0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NHTC: -56.2%, SBH: -49.1%), 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.
07What are the main differences between NHTC and SBH?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: NHTC is a small-cap income-oriented stock; SBH is a small-cap deep-value stock. NHTC pays a dividend while SBH 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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