Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Option Care Health, Inc. (OPCH) vs Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) 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 | 23.2% revenue growth vs OPCH's 13.0% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (15.3x vs 16.4x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 6.7% net margin vs OPCH's 3.7% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.32 vs ADUS's 0.41 | |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | +9.9% vs OPCH's -11.2% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 6.7% ROA vs OPCH's 6.0%, ROIC 8.8% vs 15.3% |
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
Option Care Health is a leading provider of home and alternate-site infusion therapy services across the United States. It generates revenue primarily from providing specialized infusion treatments—including anti-infectives, immunoglobulin therapies, and nutrition support—which are billed to insurance providers, Medicare, and Medicaid. The company's competitive advantage lies in its national scale, extensive clinical expertise, and established payer relationships that create significant barriers to entry in the complex home infusion market.
Addus HomeCare is a provider of in-home care services for elderly, chronically ill, and disabled individuals across the United States. It generates revenue primarily through government reimbursement programs — with Medicaid accounting for roughly 80% of revenue — supplemented by Medicare, private insurance, and private-pay clients across its personal care, hospice, and home health segments. The company's competitive advantage lies in its established relationships with state Medicaid agencies and its scale as one of the largest home care providers, which creates barriers to entry and operational efficiencies.
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
ADUS leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). OPCH leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
OPCH is the larger business by revenue, generating $5.6B annually — 4.0x ADUS's $1.4B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 6.7% (ADUS) to 3.7% (OPCH). On growth, ADUS holds the edge at +25.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $5.6B | $1.4B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $405M | $155M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $208M | $96M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $240M | $91M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +19.3% | +32.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +6.0% | +9.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.7% | +6.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +4.2% | +6.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +8.8% | +25.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.7% | +50.5% |
Valuation Metrics
At 20.3x trailing earnings, ADUS trades at a 15% valuation discount to OPCH's 24.0x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, OPCH's 11.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than ADUS's 13.4x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $4.8B | $2.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.6B | $2.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 24.00x | 20.28x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 16.43x | 15.32x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.01x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 11.35x | 13.44x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.85x | 1.38x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.70x | 1.80x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.64x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
OPCH delivers a 15.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $16 in annual profit, vs $9 for ADUS. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ADUS scores 7/9 vs OPCH's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +15.7% | +8.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.0% | +6.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +15.3% | +8.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +12.8% | +10.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.19x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$233M | $127M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $233M | $82M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $209M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.39x | 11.40x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in OPCH five years ago would be worth $16,220 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $11,263 for ADUS. Over the past 12 months, ADUS leads with a +9.9% total return vs OPCH's -11.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ADUS at 0.7% vs OPCH's -1.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -4.7% | -0.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -11.2% | +9.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -5.6% | +2.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +62.2% | +12.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +204.8% | +344.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -1.9% | +0.7% |
Risk & Volatility
OPCH is the less volatile stock with a 0.32 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ADUS's 0.41 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.32x | 0.41x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $36.80 | $124.44 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $24.24 | $88.96 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +83.5% | +84.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 34.0 | 40.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.8M | 222K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates OPCH as "Buy" and ADUS as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 25.6% upside for ADUS (target: $133) vs 24.2% for OPCH (target: $38).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $38.14 | $132.75 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 14 | 15 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +6.4% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Mar 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Care Health,… (OPCH) | 100 | 221.44 | +121.4% |
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 100 | 138.15 | +38.2% |
Option Care Health,… (OPCH) returned +62% over 5 years vs Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS)'s +13%. A $10,000 investment in OPCH 5 years ago would be worth $16,220 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Care Health,… (OPCH) | $936M | $5.6B | +503.8% |
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | $401M | $1.4B | +255.0% |
Option Care Health, Inc.'s revenue grew from $936M (2016) to $5.6B (2025) — a 22.1% CAGR. Addus HomeCare Corporation's revenue grew from $401M (2016) to $1.4B (2025) — a 15.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Care Health,… (OPCH) | -4.6% | 3.7% | +180.4% |
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 3.0% | 6.7% | +124.7% |
Option Care Health, Inc.'s net margin went from -5% (2016) to 4% (2025). Addus HomeCare Corporation's net margin went from 3% (2016) to 7% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Care Health,… (OPCH) | 36.9 | 24.9 | -32.5% |
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 29.7 | 20.6 | -30.6% |
Option Care Health, Inc. has traded in a 19x–37x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~24x. Addus HomeCare Corporation has traded in a 21x–56x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~20x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Care Health,… (OPCH) | -1.77 | 1.28 | +172.3% |
| Addus HomeCare Corp… (ADUS) | 1.04 | 5.21 | +401.0% |
Option Care Health, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.77 (2016) to $1.28 (2025). Addus HomeCare Corporation's EPS grew from $1.04 (2016) to $5.21 (2025) — a 20% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Option Care Health, Inc. generated $258M FCF in 2025 (+41% vs 2021). Addus HomeCare Corporation generated $0M FCF in 2025 (-100% vs 2021).
OPCH vs ADUS: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is OPCH or ADUS a better buy right now?
Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) offers the better valuation at 20.3x trailing P/E (15.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Option Care Health, Inc. (OPCH) a "Buy" — based on 14 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 — OPCH or ADUS?
On trailing P/E, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the cheapest at 20.3x versus Option Care Health, Inc. at 24.0x. On forward P/E, Addus HomeCare Corporation is actually cheaper at 15.3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — OPCH or ADUS?
Over the past 5 years, Option Care Health, Inc. (OPCH) delivered a total return of +62.2%, compared to +12.6% for Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS). A $10,000 investment in OPCH five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ADUS returned +344.0% versus OPCH's +204.8%. 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 — OPCH or ADUS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Option Care Health, Inc. (OPCH) is the lower-risk stock at 0.32β versus Addus HomeCare Corporation's 0.41β — meaning ADUS is approximately 27% more volatile than OPCH relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — OPCH or ADUS?
Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the more profitable company, earning 6.7% net margin versus 3.7% for Option Care Health, Inc. — meaning it keeps 6.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ADUS leads at 9.7% versus 6.0% for OPCH. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ADUS leads at 32.5%, 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.
06Is OPCH or ADUS more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) trades at 15.3x forward P/E versus 16.4x for Option Care Health, Inc. — 1.1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ADUS: 25.6% to $132.75.
07Which pays a better dividend — OPCH or ADUS?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
08Is OPCH or ADUS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.41), +344.0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ADUS: +344.0%, OPCH: +204.8%), 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 OPCH and ADUS?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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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