UHS vs ACHC vs HCA vs THC vs SEM

For growth investors, Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is the stronger pick with 9. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 1% for Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC). Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) offers the better valuation at 7. 4x trailing P/E (7. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) a "Buy" — based on 25 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, Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is the cheapest at 7. 4x versus HCA Healthcare, Inc. at 15. 1x. On forward P/E, Universal Health Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Tenet Healthcare Corporation wins at 0. 33x versus HCA Healthcare, Inc. 's 0. 67x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) delivered a total return of +190.

4%, compared to -61. 8% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: THC returned +523. 4% versus ACHC's -58. 5%. 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), HCA Healthcare, Inc.

(HCA) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 29β versus Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. 's 0. 84β — meaning ACHC is approximately 194% more volatile than HCA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 74% versus 182% for Select Medical Holdings Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Universal Health Services, Inc.

(UHS) is pulling ahead at 9. 7% versus 3. 1% for Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Universal Health Services, Inc. grew EPS 37. 3% year-over-year, compared to -537. 4% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, UHS leads at 9. 0% 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.

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

(HCA) is the more profitable company, earning 9. 0% net margin versus -33. 3% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: THC leads at 16. 1% versus 6. 1% for SEM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UHS leads at 90. 4%, 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, Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 33x versus HCA Healthcare, Inc. 's 0. 67x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) trades at 7. 3x forward P/E versus 16. 4x for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — 9. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for THC: 38. 1% to $268. 00.

In this comparison, SEM (1.

5% yield), HCA (0. 7% yield), UHS (0. 5% yield) pay a dividend. ACHC, THC do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, HCA Healthcare, Inc.

(HCA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 29), 0. 7% yield, +450. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HCA: +450. 5%, ACHC: -58. 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.

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: UHS is a mid-cap deep-value stock; ACHC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; HCA is a mid-cap deep-value stock; THC is a mid-cap deep-value stock; SEM is a small-cap deep-value stock. HCA, SEM pay a dividend while UHS, ACHC, THC 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.