PINC vs HCAT vs DOCS vs INVA

For growth investors, Doximity, Inc.

(DOCS) is the stronger pick with 20. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -10. 9% for Premier, Inc. (PINC). Innoviva, Inc. (INVA) offers the better valuation at 6. 9x trailing P/E (7. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Health Catalyst, Inc. (HCAT) a "Buy" — based on 22 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, Innoviva, Inc.

(INVA) is the cheapest at 6. 9x versus Premier, Inc. at 128. 5x. On forward P/E, Innoviva, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Doximity, Inc. wins at 0. 21x versus Innoviva, Inc. 's 0. 71x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Innoviva, Inc.

(INVA) delivered a total return of +94. 5%, compared to -97. 0% for Health Catalyst, Inc. (HCAT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: INVA returned +95. 6% versus HCAT's -96. 1%. 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), Innoviva, Inc.

(INVA) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 11β versus Health Catalyst, Inc. 's 1. 93β — meaning HCAT is approximately 1595% more volatile than INVA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Doximity, Inc. (DOCS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 23% for Innoviva, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Doximity, Inc.

(DOCS) is pulling ahead at 20. 0% versus -10. 9% for Premier, Inc. (PINC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Innoviva, Inc. grew EPS 816. 7% year-over-year, compared to -121. 7% for Health Catalyst, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, DOCS leads at 18. 4% 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.

Innoviva, Inc.

(INVA) is the more profitable company, earning 63. 8% net margin versus -57. 2% for Health Catalyst, Inc. — meaning it keeps 63. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DOCS leads at 39. 9% versus -51. 7% for HCAT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DOCS leads at 90. 2%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Doximity, Inc. (DOCS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 21x versus Innoviva, Inc. 's 0. 71x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Innoviva, Inc. (INVA) trades at 7. 3x forward P/E versus 20. 8x for Premier, Inc. — 13. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for INVA: 74. 7% to $40. 00.

In this comparison, PINC (3.

0% yield) pays a dividend. HCAT, DOCS, INVA do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Premier, Inc.

(PINC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 21), 3. 0% yield). Health Catalyst, Inc. (HCAT) carries a higher beta of 1. 93 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (PINC: -4. 6%, HCAT: -96. 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.

Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: PINC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; HCAT is a small-cap quality compounder stock; DOCS is a small-cap high-growth stock; INVA is a small-cap high-growth stock. PINC pays a dividend while HCAT, DOCS, INVA 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.