SRTA vs CCRN vs AMN vs TBI

For growth investors, TrueBlue, Inc.

(TBI) is the stronger pick with 3. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -21. 6% for Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN). Strata Critical Medical, Inc. (SRTA) offers the better valuation at 10. 7x 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 forward P/E, AMN Healthcare Services, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 11. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Cross Country Healthcare, Inc.

(CCRN) delivered a total return of -22. 5%, compared to -78. 7% for TrueBlue, Inc. (TBI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CCRN returned -10. 5% versus TBI's -68. 4%. 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), Cross Country Healthcare, Inc.

(CCRN) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 78β versus Strata Critical Medical, Inc. 's 2. 47β — meaning SRTA is approximately 217% more volatile than CCRN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 125% for AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(TBI) is pulling ahead at 3. 1% 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, SRTA leads at 10. 5% 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: AMN leads at 1. 2% versus -11. 3% for SRTA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMN leads at 22. 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.

On forward earnings alone, AMN Healthcare Services, Inc.

(AMN) trades at 11. 0x forward P/E versus 133. 8x for Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. — 122. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SRTA: 35. 8% to $7. 25.

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, Cross Country Healthcare, Inc.

(CCRN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 78)). 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 (CCRN: -10. 5%, SRTA: -45. 2%), 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 CCRN (Healthcare) and AMN (Healthcare) and TBI (Industrials)), 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; CCRN is a small-cap quality compounder stock; AMN is a small-cap quality compounder stock; TBI 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.