Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare The Pennant Group, Inc. (PNTG) vs The Ensign Group, Inc. (ENSG) vs Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) vs Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (BKD) vs National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) 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 | PNTG | 36.3% revenue growth vs BKD's 7.3% |
| Value | EHC | Lower P/E (18.2x vs 28.5x), PEG 1.28 vs 2.06 |
| Quality / Margins | EHC | 9.3% net margin vs BKD's -8.2% |
| Stability / Safety | ENSG | Beta 0.43 vs BKD's 0.88 |
| Dividends | NHC | 1.5% yield, 12-year raise streak, vs ENSG's 0.1% |
| Momentum (1Y) | BKD | +168.4% vs EHC's +8.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | EHC | 7.9% ROA vs BKD's -4.4%, ROIC 12.7% vs 2.0% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
The Pennant Group operates a network of home health, hospice, and senior living facilities across the United States. It generates revenue primarily from Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for home health and hospice services—roughly 70% of total revenue—with the remainder coming from private pay and insurance for senior living communities. The company's decentralized operating model—which grants local leaders significant autonomy—creates a competitive advantage through better community integration and operational efficiency compared to more centralized healthcare providers.
The Ensign Group operates a network of skilled nursing facilities and senior living communities across multiple states. It generates revenue primarily from patient care reimbursements—mainly Medicare and Medicaid—along with private pay services and ancillary offerings like therapy and diagnostics. The company's competitive advantage lies in its decentralized operational model that empowers local leaders and its disciplined acquisition strategy for underperforming facilities.
Encompass Health operates a network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and home health/hospice services across the United States. It generates revenue primarily from Medicare reimbursements for its inpatient rehabilitation services — which account for the majority of its business — supplemented by home health and hospice care payments. The company's competitive advantage lies in its scale as the largest owner and operator of inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the country, creating operational efficiencies and referral network advantages.
Brookdale Senior Living is a leading operator of senior living communities across the United States, providing independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing services. It generates revenue primarily through resident fees — with assisted living and memory care contributing about 60% of revenue, independent living around 30%, and continuing care retirement communities making up the remainder. The company's scale advantage — operating over 600 communities nationwide — creates operational efficiencies and brand recognition that smaller regional operators cannot match.
National HealthCare Corporation is a diversified healthcare services company that operates skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, homecare and hospice agencies, and behavioral health services. It generates revenue primarily from patient care services at its facilities — with skilled nursing contributing the largest portion — through Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay sources. The company's competitive advantage lies in its diversified portfolio across the care continuum and its operational expertise in managing complex regulatory environments within the post-acute care sector.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
BKD leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). EHC leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
EHC is the larger business by revenue, generating $5.8B annually — 6.1x PNTG's $948M. EHC is the more profitable business, keeping 9.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BKD's -8.2%. On growth, PNTG holds the edge at +53.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PNTGThe Pennant Group… | ENSGThe Ensign Group,… | EHCEncompass Health … | BKDBrookdale Senior … | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $948M | $4.8B | $5.8B | $3.2B | $1.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $60M | $501M | $1.3B | $441M | $166M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $30M | $328M | $541M | -$263M | $101M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $33M | $290M | $403M | $80M | $147M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +11.2% | +15.7% | +43.8% | +88.9% | +38.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +5.5% | +8.3% | +17.3% | +2.7% | +8.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.1% | +6.8% | +9.3% | -8.2% | +6.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +3.5% | +6.0% | +6.9% | +2.5% | +9.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +53.2% | +19.8% | +9.4% | +11.0% | +12.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +50.0% | +6.0% | +17.0% | +54.1% | -8.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 19.4x trailing earnings, EHC trades at a 52% valuation discount to PNTG's 40.1x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), NHC offers better value at 0.93x vs PNTG's 3.99x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | PNTGThe Pennant Group… | ENSGThe Ensign Group,… | EHCEncompass Health … | BKDBrookdale Senior … | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.2B | $12.4B | $10.8B | $3.6B | $2.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.6B | $14.0B | $11.0B | $4.5B | $2.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 40.13x | 36.67x | 19.44x | -13.66x | 21.32x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 25.82x | 28.49x | 18.22x | — | 20.51x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 3.99x | 2.66x | 1.36x | — | 0.93x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 26.68x | 26.37x | 10.09x | 10.21x | 15.14x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.24x | 2.45x | 1.82x | 1.14x | 1.73x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.18x | 5.64x | 3.37x | — | 2.38x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 24.35x | 33.45x | — | 16.68x | 17.07x |
Profitability & Efficiency
EHC delivers a 17.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $17 in annual profit, vs $-3 for BKD. NHC carries lower financial leverage with a 0.08x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PNTG's 1.21x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ENSG scores 7/9 vs NHC's 2/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | PNTGThe Pennant Group… | ENSGThe Ensign Group,… | EHCEncompass Health … | BKDBrookdale Senior … | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +7.9% | +15.5% | +17.0% | -3.1% | +9.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.1% | +6.3% | +7.9% | -4.4% | +6.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +5.7% | +8.9% | +12.7% | +2.0% | +8.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.4% | +10.0% | +12.7% | +1.5% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.21x | 0.93x | 0.08x | — | 0.08x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $436M | $1.6B | $195M | $869M | $87M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $17M | $504M | $72M | $279M | — |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $453M | $2.1B | $267M | $1.1B | $87M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 202.23x | 53.02x | 8.12x | 11.24x | 24.41x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in BKD five years ago would be worth $26,842 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,436 for PNTG. Over the past 12 months, BKD leads with a +168.4% total return vs EHC's +8.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BKD at 67.9% vs EHC's 24.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PNTGThe Pennant Group… | ENSGThe Ensign Group,… | EHCEncompass Health … | BKDBrookdale Senior … | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +21.1% | +23.1% | +1.6% | +41.1% | +25.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +48.0% | +66.0% | +8.4% | +168.4% | +78.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +124.4% | +140.2% | +94.3% | +373.7% | +206.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -35.6% | +158.8% | +75.5% | +168.4% | +147.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +123.4% | +1027.2% | +312.9% | +6.5% | +188.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +30.9% | +33.9% | +24.8% | +67.9% | +45.3% |
Risk & Volatility
ENSG is the less volatile stock with a 0.43 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than BKD's 0.88 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ENSG currently trades 98.7% from its 52-week high vs EHC's 84.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PNTGThe Pennant Group… | ENSGThe Ensign Group,… | EHCEncompass Health … | BKDBrookdale Senior … | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.54x | 0.43x | 0.49x | 0.88x | 0.44x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $35.00 | $217.00 | $127.99 | $17.00 | $171.65 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $21.18 | $118.73 | $92.53 | $4.97 | $89.14 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +96.3% | +98.7% | +84.3% | +90.0% | +95.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 48.3 | 66.7 | 55.6 | 54.6 | 59.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 226K | 333K | 1.1M | 4.6M | 58K |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: PNTG as "Buy", ENSG as "Buy", EHC as "Buy", BKD as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 40.4% upside for EHC (target: $152) vs 3.8% for ENSG (target: $222). For income investors, NHC offers the higher dividend yield at 1.51% vs ENSG's 0.11%.
| Metric | PNTGThe Pennant Group… | ENSGThe Ensign Group,… | EHCEncompass Health … | BKDBrookdale Senior … | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $39.00 | $222.33 | $151.50 | $17.50 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 7 | 13 | 26 | 12 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.1% | +0.6% | — | +1.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.24 | $0.70 | — | $2.47 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.0% | +1.5% | 0.0% | +0.6% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pennant Group, … (PNTG) | 100 | 104.89 | +4.9% |
| The Ensign Group, I… (ENSG) | 100 | 389.26 | +289.3% |
| Encompass Health Co… (EHC) | 100 | 154.17 | +54.2% |
| Brookdale Senior Li… (BKD) | 100 | 256.98 | +157.0% |
| National HealthCare… (NHC) | 100 | 206.09 | +106.1% |
Brookdale Senior Li… (BKD) returned +168% over 5 years vs The Pennant Group, … (PNTG)'s -36%. A $10,000 investment in BKD 5 years ago would be worth $26,842 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pennant Group, … (PNTG) | $251M | $948M | +277.6% |
| The Ensign Group, I… (ENSG) | $1.7B | $5.1B | +205.6% |
| Encompass Health Co… (EHC) | $3.6B | $5.9B | +62.9% |
| Brookdale Senior Li… (BKD) | $4.2B | $3.2B | -24.5% |
| National HealthCare… (NHC) | $924M | $1.5B | +59.1% |
The Ensign Group, Inc.'s revenue grew from $1.7B (2016) to $5.1B (2025) — a 13.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pennant Group, … (PNTG) | 3.9% | 3.1% | -20.6% |
| The Ensign Group, I… (ENSG) | 3.0% | 6.8% | +125.1% |
| Encompass Health Co… (EHC) | 6.8% | 9.5% | +40.3% |
| Brookdale Senior Li… (BKD) | -9.5% | -8.2% | +13.8% |
| National HealthCare… (NHC) | 5.5% | 8.2% | +49.2% |
The Ensign Group, Inc.'s net margin went from 3% (2016) to 7% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pennant Group, … (PNTG) | 384.5 | 33.5 | -91.3% |
| The Ensign Group, I… (ENSG) | 27 | 29.8 | +10.4% |
| Encompass Health Co… (EHC) | 14.6 | 19.1 | +30.8% |
| National HealthCare… (NHC) | 16.5 | 17.9 | +8.5% |
The Pennant Group, Inc. has traded in a 32x–385x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~40x. The Ensign Group, Inc. has traded in a 21x–31x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~37x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pennant Group, … (PNTG) | 0.35 | 0.84 | +140.0% |
| The Ensign Group, I… (ENSG) | 0.96 | 5.84 | +508.3% |
| Encompass Health Co… (EHC) | 2.59 | 5.55 | +114.3% |
| Brookdale Senior Li… (BKD) | -2.18 | -1.12 | +48.6% |
| National HealthCare… (NHC) | 3.32 | 7.67 | +131.0% |
The Ensign Group, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.96 (2016) to $5.84 (2025) — a 22% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
The Pennant Group, Inc. generated $48M FCF in 2025 (+297% vs 2021). The Ensign Group, Inc. generated $371M FCF in 2025 (+80% vs 2021).
PNTG vs ENSG vs EHC vs BKD vs NHC: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PNTG or ENSG or EHC or BKD or NHC a better buy right now?
Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) offers the better valuation at 19.4x trailing P/E (18.2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Pennant Group, Inc. (PNTG) a "Buy" — based on 7 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 — PNTG or ENSG or EHC or BKD or NHC?
On trailing P/E, Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) is the cheapest at 19.4x versus The Pennant Group, Inc. at 40.1x. On forward P/E, Encompass Health Corporation is actually cheaper at 18.2x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: National HealthCare Corporation wins at 0.89x versus The Pennant Group, Inc.'s 2.57x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PNTG or ENSG or EHC or BKD or NHC?
Over the past 5 years, Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (BKD) delivered a total return of +168.4%, compared to -35.6% for The Pennant Group, Inc. (PNTG). A $10,000 investment in BKD five years ago would be worth approximately $27K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ENSG returned +1027% versus BKD's +6.5%. 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 — PNTG or ENSG or EHC or BKD or NHC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Ensign Group, Inc. (ENSG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.43β versus Brookdale Senior Living Inc.'s 0.88β — meaning BKD is approximately 107% more volatile than ENSG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 8% versus 121% for The Pennant Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — PNTG or ENSG or EHC or BKD or NHC?
Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) is the more profitable company, earning 9.5% net margin versus -8.2% for Brookdale Senior Living Inc. — meaning it keeps 9.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EHC leads at 12.8% versus 2.7% for BKD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BKD leads at 88.9%, 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 PNTG or ENSG or EHC or BKD or NHC more undervalued right now?
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, National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.89x versus The Pennant Group, Inc.'s 2.57x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Encompass Health Corporation (EHC) trades at 18.2x forward P/E versus 28.5x for The Ensign Group, Inc. — 10.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EHC: 40.4% to $151.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — PNTG or ENSG or EHC or BKD or NHC?
In this comparison, NHC (1.5% yield), EHC (0.6% yield), ENSG (0.1% yield) pay a dividend. PNTG, BKD do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is PNTG or ENSG or EHC or BKD or NHC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, The Ensign Group, Inc. (ENSG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.43), +1027% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ENSG: +1027%, BKD: +6.5%), 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 PNTG and ENSG and EHC and BKD and NHC?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. EHC, NHC pay a dividend while PNTG, ENSG, BKD 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.
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