Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) vs HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) 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 | HCA | 7.1% revenue growth vs UHT's -100.0% |
| Value | HCA | Lower P/E (17.5x vs 25.2x) |
| Quality / Margins | UHT | 11.8% net margin vs HCA's 9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | UHT | Beta 0.24 vs HCA's 0.29 |
| Dividends | UHT | 6.8% yield, 14-year raise streak, vs HCA's 0.6% |
| Momentum (1Y) | HCA | +73.9% vs UHT's +16.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | HCA | 11.2% ROA vs UHT's 3.1% |
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 Realty Income Trust is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns and leases medical facilities including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and medical office buildings. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases — collecting rent from healthcare operators who cover property expenses — with its portfolio spanning 71 properties across 20 states. The trust's competitive advantage lies in its specialized healthcare real estate expertise and stable tenant base of established healthcare providers in recession-resistant medical facilities.
HCA Healthcare is one of the largest for-profit hospital operators in the United States, providing comprehensive medical and surgical services through its network of acute care hospitals and outpatient facilities. It generates revenue primarily from patient services — including inpatient hospital stays, outpatient procedures, and emergency care — with the vast majority coming from government programs like Medicare and Medicaid alongside private insurance reimbursements. The company's scale advantage — operating over 180 hospitals concentrated in high-growth markets — creates significant purchasing power with suppliers and negotiating leverage with payers.
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
UHT leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Risk & Volatility). HCA leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
HCA is the larger business by revenue, generating $75.6B annually — 508.5x UHT's $149M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 11.8% (UHT) to 9.0% (HCA). On growth, UHT holds the edge at +2.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | UHTUniversal Health … | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $149M | $75.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $83M | $15.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $18M | $6.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $59M | $7.7B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +94.4% | +41.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +36.3% | +15.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.8% | +9.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +40.0% | +10.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.0% | +6.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -5.9% | +44.6% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.7x trailing earnings, HCA trades at a 46% valuation discount to UHT's 34.3x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, HCA's 10.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than UHT's 20.7x.
| Metric | UHTUniversal Health … | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $605M | $118.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $599M | $167.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 34.35x | 18.66x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 25.21x | 17.50x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.89x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 20.74x | 10.82x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 1.57x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.97x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 12.33x | 15.40x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), HCA scores 7/9 vs UHT's 3/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | UHTUniversal Health … | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +11.6% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.1% | +11.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +19.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +27.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$7M | $49.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $7M | $1.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $50.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 5.37x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in HCA five years ago would be worth $30,878 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $9,261 for UHT. Over the past 12 months, HCA leads with a +73.9% total return vs UHT's +16.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors HCA at 30.2% vs UHT's -0.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | UHTUniversal Health … | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.1% | +12.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +16.7% | +73.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -1.2% | +120.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -7.4% | +208.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +37.8% | +688.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -0.4% | +30.2% |
Risk & Volatility
UHT is the less volatile stock with a 0.24 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than HCA's 0.29 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | UHTUniversal Health … | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.24x | 0.29x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $44.70 | $552.90 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $35.26 | $295.00 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +97.6% | +95.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 70.1 | 56.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 59K | 879K |
Analyst Outlook
For income investors, UHT offers the higher dividend yield at 6.78% vs HCA's 0.56%.
| Metric | UHTUniversal Health … | HCAHCA Healthcare, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $523.92 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 46 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +6.8% | +0.6% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 14 | 5 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.96 | $2.94 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +8.5% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Re… (UHT) | 100 | 37.23 | -62.8% |
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 100 | 391.19 | +291.2% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) returned +209% over 5 years vs Universal Health Re… (UHT)'s -7%. A $10,000 investment in HCA 5 years ago would be worth $30,878 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Re… (UHT) | $67M | $0.00 | -100.0% |
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | $41.5B | $75.6B | +82.2% |
Universal Health Realty Income Trust's revenue grew from $67M (2016) to $0M (2025) — a -100.0% CAGR. HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s revenue grew from $41.5B (2016) to $75.6B (2025) — a 6.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Re… (UHT) | 25.7% | 19.4% | -24.3% |
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 7.0% | 9.0% | +28.8% |
HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s net margin went from 7% (2016) to 9% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Re… (UHT) | 22.4 | 30.9 | +37.9% |
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 14.8 | 16.5 | +11.5% |
Universal Health Realty Income Trust has traded in a 8x–85x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~34x. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has traded in a 12x–17x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~19x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Health Re… (UHT) | 1.28 | 1.27 | -0.8% |
| HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) | 7.3 | 28.38 | +288.8% |
Universal Health Realty Income Trust's EPS grew from $1.28 (2016) to $1.27 (2025) — a -0% CAGR. HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s EPS grew from $7.30 (2016) to $28.38 (2025) — a 16% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Universal Health Realty Income Trust generated $49M FCF in 2025 (+41% vs 2021). HCA Healthcare, Inc. generated $8B FCF in 2025 (+43% vs 2021).
UHT vs HCA: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is UHT or HCA a better buy right now?
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) offers the better valuation at 18.7x trailing P/E (17.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) a "Buy" — based on 46 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 — UHT or HCA?
On trailing P/E, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is the cheapest at 18.7x versus Universal Health Realty Income Trust at 34.3x. On forward P/E, HCA Healthcare, Inc. is actually cheaper at 17.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — UHT or HCA?
Over the past 5 years, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) delivered a total return of +208.8%, compared to -7.4% for Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT). A $10,000 investment in HCA five years ago would be worth approximately $31K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HCA returned +688.3% versus UHT's +37.8%. 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 — UHT or HCA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.24β versus HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s 0.29β — meaning HCA is approximately 22% more volatile than UHT relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — UHT or HCA?
Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) is the more profitable company, earning 11.8% net margin versus 9.0% for HCA Healthcare, Inc. — meaning it keeps 11.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: UHT leads at 36.3% versus 15.8% for HCA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UHT leads at 94.4%, 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.
06Is UHT or HCA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) trades at 17.5x forward P/E versus 25.2x for Universal Health Realty Income Trust — 7.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — UHT or HCA?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) offers the highest yield at 6.8%, versus 0.6% for HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA).
08Is UHT or HCA better for a retirement portfolio?
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), 0.6% yield, +688.3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HCA: +688.3%, UHT: +37.8%), 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 UHT and HCA?
These companies operate in different sectors (UHT (Real Estate) and HCA (Healthcare)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. In terms of investment character: UHT is a small-cap income-oriented stock; HCA is a mid-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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