QIPT vs EHAB vs ADUS vs SGRY vs ACHC

For growth investors, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the stronger pick with 23.

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -0. 2% for Quipt Home Medical Corp. (QIPT). Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) offers the better valuation at 19. 1x trailing P/E (14. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Quipt Home Medical Corp. (QIPT) a "Buy" — based on 2 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 forward P/E, Addus HomeCare Corporation is actually cheaper at 14.

3x.

Over the past 5 years, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) delivered a total return of +3.

4%, compared to -71. 4% for Surgery Partners, Inc. (SGRY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ADUS returned +411. 7% versus ACHC's -57. 2%. 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), Quipt Home Medical Corp.

(QIPT) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 07β versus Surgery Partners, Inc. 's 1. 06β — meaning SGRY is approximately -1623% more volatile than QIPT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 19% versus 124% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is pulling ahead at 23.

2% versus -0. 2% for Quipt Home Medical Corp. (QIPT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Enhabit, Inc. grew EPS 97. 1% year-over-year, compared to -537. 4% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, QIPT leads at 20. 6% 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.

Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the more profitable company, earning 6.

7% net margin versus -33. 3% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — meaning it keeps 6. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SGRY leads at 11. 8% versus -1. 6% for QIPT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — QIPT leads at 97. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) trades at 14.

3x forward P/E versus 37. 4x for Surgery Partners, Inc. — 23. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SGRY: 31. 7% to $19. 00.

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.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Quipt Home Medical Corp.

(QIPT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 07), +351. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (QIPT: +351. 7%, SGRY: +0. 3%), 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: QIPT is a small-cap quality compounder stock; EHAB is a small-cap quality compounder stock; ADUS is a small-cap high-growth stock; SGRY is a small-cap quality compounder stock; ACHC is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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.