NUS vs MED vs HIMS vs HLF

For growth investors, Hims & Hers Health, Inc.

(HIMS) is the stronger pick with 59. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -36. 0% for Medifast, Inc. (MED). Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NUS) offers the better valuation at 2. 2x trailing P/E (7. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF) a "Buy" — based on 26 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.

On trailing P/E, Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.

(NUS) is the cheapest at 2. 2x versus Hims & Hers Health, Inc. at 50. 3x. On forward P/E, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. is actually cheaper at 5. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Hims & Hers Health, Inc.

(HIMS) delivered a total return of +137. 6%, compared to -89. 8% for Medifast, Inc. (MED). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HIMS returned +161. 9% versus HLF's -53. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Medifast, Inc.

(MED) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 94β versus Hims & Hers Health, Inc. 's 2. 40β — meaning HIMS is approximately 155% more volatile than MED relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Medifast, Inc. (MED) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 8% versus 2% for Hims & Hers Health, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Hims & Hers Health, Inc.

(HIMS) is pulling ahead at 59. 0% versus -36. 0% for Medifast, Inc. (MED). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. grew EPS 207. 8% year-over-year, compared to -994. 7% for Medifast, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, HIMS leads at 64. 5% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.

(NUS) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 8% net margin versus -4. 8% for Medifast, Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HLF leads at 8. 8% versus -3. 7% for MED. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HLF leads at 75. 6%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.

(HLF) trades at 5. 6x forward P/E versus 51. 5x for Hims & Hers Health, Inc. — 45. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NUS: 56. 7% to $11. 00.

In this comparison, NUS (3.

4% yield), MED (0. 1% yield) pay a dividend. HIMS, HLF do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Medifast, Inc.

(MED) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 94)). Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (HIMS) carries a higher beta of 2. 40 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MED: +23. 4%, HIMS: +161. 9%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (NUS (Consumer Defensive) and MED (Consumer Cyclical) and HIMS (Healthcare) and HLF (Consumer Defensive)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: NUS is a small-cap deep-value stock; MED is a small-cap quality compounder stock; HIMS is a small-cap high-growth stock; HLF is a small-cap deep-value stock. NUS pays a dividend while MED, HIMS, HLF do 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.