XRAY vs MMSI vs HSIC vs ATRC

For growth investors, AtriCure, Inc.

(ATRC) is the stronger pick with 14. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -3. 0% for DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (XRAY). Henry Schein, Inc. (HSIC) offers the better valuation at 21. 7x trailing P/E (13. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (MMSI) a "Buy" — based on 14 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, Henry Schein, Inc.

(HSIC) is the cheapest at 21. 7x versus Merit Medical Systems, Inc. at 28. 8x. On forward P/E, DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 7x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Merit Medical Systems, Inc.

(MMSI) delivered a total return of -2. 7%, compared to -80. 2% for DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (XRAY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MMSI returned +209. 3% versus XRAY's -74. 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), Merit Medical Systems, Inc.

(MMSI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 66β versus DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. 's 1. 70β — meaning XRAY is approximately 157% more volatile than MMSI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AtriCure, Inc. (ATRC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 18% versus 184% for DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(ATRC) is pulling ahead at 14. 9% versus -3. 0% for DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (XRAY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: AtriCure, Inc. grew EPS 74. 7% year-over-year, compared to 4. 9% for Merit Medical Systems, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ATRC leads at 17. 4% 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.

Merit Medical Systems, Inc.

(MMSI) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 5% net margin versus -16. 3% for DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MMSI leads at 12. 2% versus -0. 6% for ATRC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ATRC leads at 74. 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.

On forward earnings alone, DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc.

(XRAY) trades at 7. 7x forward P/E versus 428. 7x for AtriCure, Inc. — 421. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ATRC: 95. 3% to $51. 33.

In this comparison, XRAY (5.

8% yield) pays a dividend. MMSI, HSIC, ATRC do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Merit Medical Systems, Inc.

(MMSI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 66), +209. 3% 10Y return). DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (XRAY) carries a higher beta of 1. 70 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MMSI: +209. 3%, XRAY: -74. 4%), 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: XRAY is a small-cap income-oriented stock; MMSI is a small-cap quality compounder stock; HSIC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; ATRC is a small-cap quality compounder stock. XRAY pays a dividend while MMSI, HSIC, ATRC 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.