Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) vs Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) 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 | UHS | 9.7% revenue growth vs MPW's -2.4% |
| Value | UHS | Lower P/E (8.8x vs 47.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | UHS | 8.6% net margin vs MPW's -20.4% |
| Stability / Safety | UHS | Beta 0.69 vs MPW's 0.72 |
| Dividends | UHS | 0.4% yield; 1-year raise streak; MPW pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | UHS | +18.1% vs MPW's -2.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | UHS | 9.6% ROA vs MPW's -1.3% |
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
Universal Health Services is a major hospital operator that owns and runs acute care hospitals alongside behavioral health facilities across the U.S. and internationally. It generates revenue primarily from patient services—split roughly 60% from acute care and 40% from behavioral health—with payments coming from government programs, private insurers, and self-pay patients. The company's scale and geographic diversification across hundreds of facilities create operational efficiencies and a stable revenue base that smaller regional operators cannot match.
Medical Properties Trust is a real estate investment trust that acquires and leases hospital facilities to healthcare operators. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases—where tenants pay rent plus property expenses—with hospital operators across nine countries. The company's moat lies in its specialized expertise in hospital real estate and its ability to provide capital solutions that allow operators to monetize their real estate assets while maintaining operational control.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
UHS leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). MPW leads in 1 (Financial Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
UHS is the larger business by revenue, generating $17.4B annually — 17.9x MPW's $972M. UHS is the more profitable business, keeping 8.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MPW's -20.4%. On growth, MPW holds the edge at +14.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | UHSUniversal Health … | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $17.4B | $972M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $2.6B | $663M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.5B | -$199M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $831M | $0 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +67.0% | +55.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.5% | +38.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +8.6% | -20.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +4.8% | +23.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +9.1% | +14.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +41.3% | +123.2% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, UHS's 1.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than MPW's 100.9x.
| Metric | UHSUniversal Health … | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3M | $3.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.0B | $2.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 8.92x | -16.48x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.80x | 47.59x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.56x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 1.93x | 100.95x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.00x | 3.34x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.79x | 0.71x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 0.00x | 14.07x |
Profitability & Efficiency
UHS delivers a 20.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $20 in annual profit, vs $-4 for MPW. MPW carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to UHS's 0.70x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), UHS scores 7/9 vs MPW's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | UHSUniversal Health … | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +20.1% | -4.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +9.6% | -1.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +12.4% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +16.2% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.70x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $5.0B | -$413M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $138M | $541M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $5.2B | $128M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 9.66x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in UHS five years ago would be worth $16,427 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,351 for MPW. Over the past 12 months, UHS leads with a +18.1% total return vs MPW's -2.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors UHS at 16.0% vs MPW's -11.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | UHSUniversal Health … | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -6.3% | +7.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +18.1% | -2.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +56.1% | -31.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +64.3% | -56.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +92.1% | +24.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +16.0% | -11.6% |
Risk & Volatility
UHS is the less volatile stock with a 0.69 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MPW's 0.72 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | UHSUniversal Health … | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.69x | 0.72x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $246.33 | $6.34 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $152.33 | $3.95 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +83.7% | +85.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 36.4 | 64.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 578K | 5.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates UHS as "Hold" and MPW as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 19.2% upside for UHS (target: $246) vs -8.1% for MPW (target: $5). UHS is the only dividend payer here at 0.39% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | UHSUniversal Health … | MPWMedical Propertie… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $245.67 | $5.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 43 | 28 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.4% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.80 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +100.0% | 0.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Se… (UHS) | 100 | 153.13 | +53.1% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 100 | 22.53 | -77.5% |
Universal Health Se… (UHS) returned +64% over 5 years vs Medical Properties … (MPW)'s -56%. A $10,000 investment in UHS 5 years ago would be worth $16,427 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Se… (UHS) | $9.8B | $17.4B | +77.8% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | $541M | $972M | +79.6% |
Universal Health Services, Inc.'s revenue grew from $9.8B (2016) to $17.4B (2025) — a 6.6% CAGR. Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s revenue grew from $541M (2016) to $972M (2025) — a 6.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Se… (UHS) | 7.2% | 8.6% | +19.2% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 41.6% | -20.4% | -149.2% |
Universal Health Services, Inc.'s net margin went from 7% (2016) to 9% (2025). Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s net margin went from 42% (2016) to -20% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Se… (UHS) | 14.5 | 9.4 | -35.2% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 16.8 | 7.4 | -56.0% |
Universal Health Services, Inc. has traded in a 9x–16x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~9x. Medical Properties Trust, Inc. has traded in a 6x–27x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~-16x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Se… (UHS) | 7.14 | 23.1 | +223.5% |
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 0.86 | -0.33 | -138.4% |
Universal Health Services, Inc.'s EPS grew from $7.14 (2016) to $23.10 (2025) — a 14% CAGR. Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.86 (2016) to $-0.33 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Universal Health Services, Inc. generated $849M FCF in 2025 (+2929% vs 2021). Medical Properties Trust, Inc. generated $231M FCF in 2025 (-69% vs 2021).
UHS vs MPW: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is UHS or MPW a better buy right now?
Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) offers the better valuation at 8.9x trailing P/E (8.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) a "Hold" — based on 43 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 has the better valuation — UHS or MPW?
On forward P/E, Universal Health Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8.8x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — UHS or MPW?
Over the past 5 years, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) delivered a total return of +64.3%, compared to -56.5% for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW). A $10,000 investment in UHS five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: UHS returned +92.1% versus MPW's +24.1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — UHS or MPW?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.69β versus Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s 0.72β — meaning MPW is approximately 5% more volatile than UHS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 70% for Universal Health Services, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — UHS or MPW?
Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) is the more profitable company, earning 8.6% net margin versus -20.4% for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MPW leads at 38.1% versus 11.5% for UHS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UHS leads at 67.0%, 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.
06Is UHS or MPW more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) trades at 8.8x forward P/E versus 47.6x for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. — 38.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for UHS: 19.2% to $245.67.
07Which pays a better dividend — UHS or MPW?
In this comparison, UHS (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. MPW does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is UHS or MPW better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.69)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (UHS: +92.1%, MPW: +24.1%), 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.
09What are the main differences between UHS and MPW?
These companies operate in different sectors (UHS (Healthcare) and MPW (Real Estate)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. In terms of investment character: UHS is a small-cap deep-value stock; MPW 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.
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