SRTA vs ADUS vs ENSG vs HCSG vs CCRN

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

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -21. 6% for Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN). Strata Critical Medical, Inc. (SRTA) offers the better valuation at 11. 1x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Strata Critical Medical, Inc. (SRTA) a "Buy" — based on 6 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, Strata Critical Medical, Inc.

(SRTA) is the cheapest at 11. 1x versus The Ensign Group, Inc. at 29. 4x. On forward P/E, Addus HomeCare Corporation is actually cheaper at 14. 3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Addus HomeCare Corporation wins at 0. 71x versus The Ensign Group, Inc. 's 1. 64x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, The Ensign Group, Inc.

(ENSG) delivered a total return of +105. 6%, compared to -27. 8% for Strata Critical Medical, Inc. (SRTA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ENSG returned +738. 2% versus SRTA's -42. 9%. 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), The Ensign Group, Inc.

(ENSG) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 38β versus Strata Critical Medical, Inc. 's 2. 47β — meaning SRTA is approximately 551% more volatile than ENSG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 186% for The Ensign Group, 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 -21. 6% for Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Strata Critical Medical, Inc. grew EPS 242. 9% year-over-year, compared to -565. 9% for Cross Country Healthcare, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ENSG leads at 18. 7% 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.

Strata Critical Medical, Inc.

(SRTA) is the more profitable company, earning 21. 0% net margin versus -9. 0% for Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. — meaning it keeps 21. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ADUS leads at 9. 7% versus -11. 3% for SRTA. 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.

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, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 71x versus The Ensign Group, Inc. 's 1. 64x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) trades at 14. 3x forward P/E versus 156. 2x for Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. — 141. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SRTA: 30. 2% to $7. 25.

In this comparison, ENSG (0.

1% yield) pays a dividend. SRTA, ADUS, HCSG, CCRN do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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. 38), +738. 2% 10Y return). Strata Critical Medical, Inc. (SRTA) carries a higher beta of 2. 47 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ENSG: +738. 2%, SRTA: -42. 9%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (SRTA (Industrials) and ADUS (Healthcare) and ENSG (Healthcare) and HCSG (Healthcare) and CCRN (Healthcare)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: SRTA is a small-cap deep-value stock; ADUS is a small-cap high-growth stock; ENSG is a mid-cap high-growth stock; HCSG is a small-cap quality compounder stock; CCRN 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.