Packaged Foods
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USNA vs HLF
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Packaged Foods
USNA vs HLF — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Packaged Foods | Packaged Foods |
| Market Cap | $359M | $1.50B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $925M | $5.13B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $11M | $240M |
| Gross Margin | 76.6% | 76.5% |
| Operating Margin | 5.5% | 6.4% |
| Forward P/E | 11.2x | 5.6x |
| Total Debt | $14M | $2.34B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $158M | $353M |
USNA vs HLF — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| USANA Health Scienc… (USNA) | 100 | 23.0 | -77.0% |
| Herbalife Nutrition… (HLF) | 100 | 33.1 | -66.9% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: USNA vs HLF
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
USNA is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and growth exposure.
- beta 1.34
- Rev growth 8.3%, EPS growth -73.5%, 3Y rev CAGR -2.5%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.34, Low D/E 2.4%, current ratio 2.24x
HLF carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for long-term compounding.
- -53.6% 10Y total return vs USNA's -68.7%
- Lower P/E (5.6x vs 11.2x)
- 4.7% margin vs USNA's 1.2%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 8.3% revenue growth vs HLF's 0.9% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (5.6x vs 11.2x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 4.7% margin vs USNA's 1.2% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 1.34 vs HLF's 1.79 | |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | +113.4% vs USNA's -31.4% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 8.6% ROA vs USNA's 1.5%, ROIC 24.3% vs 8.6% |
USNA vs HLF — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
USNA vs HLF — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
HLF leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
HLF is the larger business by revenue, generating $5.1B annually — 5.5x USNA's $925M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 4.7% (HLF) to 1.2% (USNA).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $925M | $5.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $91M | $417M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $11M | $240M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $9M | $374M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +76.6% | +76.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +5.5% | +6.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +1.2% | +4.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +0.9% | +7.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.9% | +7.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -142.2% | +16.3% |
Valuation Metrics
HLF leads this category, winning 4 of 5 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 6.6x trailing earnings, HLF trades at a 80% valuation discount to USNA's 33.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, USNA's 2.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than HLF's 6.2x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $359M | $1.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $215M | $3.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 33.55x | 6.59x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 11.18x | 5.63x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 2.37x | 6.19x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.39x | 0.30x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.62x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 42.13x | 5.92x |
Profitability & Efficiency
USNA leads this category, winning 4 of 7 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), USNA scores 7/9 vs HLF's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +1.8% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.5% | +8.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +8.6% | +24.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +8.3% | +27.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.02x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$144M | $2.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $158M | $353M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $14M | $2.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 50.32x | 1.64x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
HLF leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in HLF five years ago would be worth $2,888 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,999 for USNA. Over the past 12 months, HLF leads with a +113.4% total return vs USNA's -31.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors HLF at 1.0% vs USNA's -33.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +0.1% | +13.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -31.4% | +113.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -70.7% | +3.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -80.0% | -71.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -68.7% | -53.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -33.6% | +1.0% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — USNA and HLF each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
USNA is the less volatile stock with a 1.34 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than HLF's 1.79 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. HLF currently trades 71.0% from its 52-week high vs USNA's 50.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.34x | 1.79x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $38.32 | $20.40 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $16.60 | $6.59 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +50.8% | +71.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.0 | 53.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 118K | 1.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates USNA as "Hold" and HLF as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 79.9% upside for USNA (target: $35) vs 10.4% for HLF (target: $16).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $35.00 | $16.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 26 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +7.7% | +0.5% |
HLF leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). USNA leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
USNA vs HLF: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is USNA or HLF a better buy right now?
For growth investors, USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
(USNA) is the stronger pick with 8. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 9% for Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF). Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF) offers the better valuation at 6. 6x trailing P/E (5. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF) a "Buy" — based on 26 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 — USNA or HLF?
On trailing P/E, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
(HLF) is the cheapest at 6. 6x versus USANA Health Sciences, Inc. at 33. 6x. On forward P/E, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. is actually cheaper at 5. 6x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — USNA or HLF?
Over the past 5 years, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
(HLF) delivered a total return of -71. 1%, compared to -80. 0% for USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (USNA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HLF returned -53. 6% versus USNA's -68. 7%. 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 — USNA or HLF?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
(USNA) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 34β versus Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. 's 1. 79β — meaning HLF is approximately 33% more volatile than USNA relative to the S&P 500.
05Which is growing faster — USNA or HLF?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
(USNA) is pulling ahead at 8. 3% versus 0. 9% for Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. grew EPS -12. 0% year-over-year, compared to -73. 5% for USANA Health Sciences, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, HLF leads at -1. 1% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — USNA or HLF?
Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
(HLF) is the more profitable company, earning 4. 5% net margin versus 1. 2% for USANA Health Sciences, Inc. — meaning it keeps 4. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HLF leads at 8. 8% versus 5. 5% for USNA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — USNA leads at 78. 3%, 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.
07Is USNA or HLF more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
(HLF) trades at 5. 6x forward P/E versus 11. 2x for USANA Health Sciences, Inc. — 5. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for USNA: 79. 9% to $35. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — USNA or HLF?
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.
09Is USNA or HLF better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
(USNA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (USNA: -68. 7%, HLF: -53. 6%), 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.
10What are the main differences between USNA and HLF?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: USNA is a small-cap quality compounder stock; HLF is a small-cap deep-value 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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