Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Sonida Senior Living, Inc. (SNDA) 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 | SNDA | 19.2% revenue growth vs NHC's 13.2% |
| Quality / Margins | NHC | 6.7% net margin vs SNDA's -12.4% |
| Stability / Safety | NHC | Beta 0.44 vs SNDA's 1.06, lower leverage |
| Dividends | NHC | 1.5% yield, 12-year raise streak, vs SNDA's 0.6% |
| Momentum (1Y) | NHC | +78.2% vs SNDA's +47.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NHC | 6.4% ROA vs SNDA's -5.4%, ROIC 8.4% vs -1.7% |
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
Sonida Senior Living operates senior housing communities across the United States, providing independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. The company generates revenue primarily from resident fees — including monthly rent and service charges — with its assisted living and memory care segments typically commanding higher rates due to the specialized care provided. Its competitive advantage lies in its operational expertise in managing a portfolio of owned communities, which creates economies of scale and allows for consistent service delivery across locations.
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 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
NHC leads in 5 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NHC is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.5B annually — 4.0x SNDA's $375M. NHC is the more profitable business, keeping 6.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SNDA's -12.4%. On growth, SNDA holds the edge at +31.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SNDASonida Senior Liv… | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $375M | $1.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $40M | $166M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$47M | $101M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$10M | $147M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +91.4% | +38.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -4.0% | +8.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -12.4% | +6.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -2.7% | +9.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +31.2% | +12.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -59.2% | -8.4% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, NHC's 15.1x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SNDA's 45.0x.
| Metric | SNDASonida Senior Liv… | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $682M | $2.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.3B | $2.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -66.46x | 21.32x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 20.51x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.93x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 45.04x | 15.14x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.24x | 1.73x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.91x | 2.38x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 17.07x |
Profitability & Efficiency
NHC delivers a 9.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $10 in annual profit, vs $-54 for SNDA. NHC carries lower financial leverage with a 0.08x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SNDA's 5.03x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SNDA scores 4/9 vs NHC's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | SNDASonida Senior Liv… | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -53.8% | +9.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -5.4% | +6.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -1.7% | +8.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -2.3% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 5.03x | 0.08x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $634M | $87M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $17M | — |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $651M | $87M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -0.26x | 24.41x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NHC five years ago would be worth $24,747 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,300 for SNDA. Over the past 12 months, NHC leads with a +78.2% total return vs SNDA's +47.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SNDA at 45.5% vs NHC's 45.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SNDASonida Senior Liv… | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +12.4% | +25.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +47.7% | +78.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +208.3% | +206.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +23.0% | +147.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -86.0% | +188.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +45.5% | +45.3% |
Risk & Volatility
NHC is the less volatile stock with a 0.44 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SNDA's 1.06 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SNDA currently trades 98.6% from its 52-week high vs NHC's 95.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SNDASonida Senior Liv… | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.06x | 0.44x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $36.40 | $171.65 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $19.34 | $89.14 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.6% | +95.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 70.7 | 59.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 39K | 58K |
Analyst Outlook
For income investors, NHC offers the higher dividend yield at 1.51% vs SNDA's 0.56%.
| Metric | SNDASonida Senior Liv… | NHCNational HealthCa… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $31.50 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 2 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.6% | +1.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 12 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.20 | $2.47 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonida Senior Livin… (SNDA) | 100 | 83.54 | -16.5% |
| National HealthCare… (NHC) | 100 | 206.09 | +106.1% |
National HealthCare… (NHC) returned +147% over 5 years vs Sonida Senior Livin… (SNDA)'s +23%. A $10,000 investment in NHC 5 years ago would be worth $24,747 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonida Senior Livin… (SNDA) | $447M | $304M | -32.0% |
| National HealthCare… (NHC) | $924M | $1.5B | +59.1% |
National HealthCare Corporation's revenue grew from $924M (2016) to $1.5B (2025) — a 5.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonida Senior Livin… (SNDA) | -6.3% | -0.7% | +89.2% |
| National HealthCare… (NHC) | 5.5% | 8.2% | +49.2% |
National HealthCare Corporation's net margin went from 5% (2016) to 8% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| National HealthCare… (NHC) | 16.5 | 17.9 | +8.5% |
National HealthCare Corporation has traded in a 8x–41x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~21x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonida Senior Livin… (SNDA) | -14.54 | -0.54 | +96.3% |
| National HealthCare… (NHC) | 3.32 | 7.67 | +131.0% |
National HealthCare Corporation's EPS grew from $3.32 (2016) to $7.67 (2025) — a 10% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Sonida Senior Living, Inc. generated $-27M FCF in 2024 (+31% vs 2021). National HealthCare Corporation generated $149M FCF in 2025 (+546% vs 2021).
SNDA vs NHC: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SNDA or NHC a better buy right now?
National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) offers the better valuation at 21.3x trailing P/E (20.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Sonida Senior Living, Inc. (SNDA) a "Hold" — 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.
02Which is the better long-term investment — SNDA or NHC?
Over the past 5 years, National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) delivered a total return of +147.5%, compared to +23.0% for Sonida Senior Living, Inc. (SNDA). A $10,000 investment in NHC five years ago would be worth approximately $25K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NHC returned +188.4% versus SNDA's -86.0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — SNDA or NHC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.44β versus Sonida Senior Living, Inc.'s 1.06β — meaning SNDA is approximately 142% more volatile than NHC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 8% versus 5% for Sonida Senior Living, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — SNDA or NHC?
National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) is the more profitable company, earning 8.2% net margin versus -0.7% for Sonida Senior Living, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NHC leads at 8.7% versus -4.9% for SNDA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SNDA leads at 89.1%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — SNDA or NHC?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) offers the highest yield at 1.5%, versus 0.6% for Sonida Senior Living, Inc. (SNDA).
06Is SNDA or NHC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.44), 1.5% yield, +188.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NHC: +188.4%, SNDA: -86.0%), 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.
07What are the main differences between SNDA 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. 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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