HENRY SCHEIN, INC. vs TE CONNECTIVITY PLC, two Distribution stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
One distributes healthcare supply, the other makes electronics: Henry Schein earns a 2.95% margin reselling dental and medical products, TE Connectivity a 15.54% margin manufacturing connectors and sensors, five times the margin and more than double the return on equity, 21.96% against 10.08%. TE trades cheaper, 20.2 times earnings against Schein's 25.7, and converts more free cash, 5.81% against 4.51%. The gap is the familiar one between making and moving: TE owns its products and the margins that come with them, Schein earns a distributor's slim cut of healthcare supply. The pair leaves little doubt on quality: TE is more profitable, faster-growing, and cheaper, while Schein's appeal rests on the defensive stability of dental and medical demand rather than on its economics.
Comparison updated 2026-07-11.
| Metric | HSIC | TEL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $84.37 | $200.28 |
| Market cap | $9.8B | $59.1B |
| Sector | Distribution | Distribution |
| Stage | Mature | Growth |
| Implied growth (priced in) | +5.1% | +18.7% |
| P/E | 25.5 | 20.4 |
| P/B | 2.50 | 4.46 |
| P/S | 0.73 | 3.16 |
| EV/EBITDA | 10.9 | 15.4 |
| Revenue growth | +5.6% | +16.7% |
| Gross margin | 31.8% | 36.8% |
| Operating margin | 5.4% | 20.1% |
| Net margin | 3.0% | 15.5% |
| Return on equity | 10.1% | 22.0% |
| Return on assets | 3.5% | 11.3% |
| Return on invested capital | 10.5% | 17.7% |
| FCF yield | 4.5% | 5.7% |
| Dividend yield | — | 1.4% |
| Debt / equity | 0.27 | 0.43 |
| Current ratio | 1.36 | 1.89 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 2.68 | 4.67 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 4 / 9 | 6 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.