NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CORP vs UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC., two Medical Care stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
The margin comparison is close, 11.2% operating at Universal Health against 8.5% at National HealthCare, hospitals against nursing homes, but the multiple comparison is not: 6.1 times earnings against 25.5, a four-fold spread inside one sector tag. UHS earns the better returns, 20.2% on equity against 11.3%, converts double the cash, 10.2% against 5.3%, and still trades at a fraction of the price. NHC's premium rests on its debt-free sheet and its dividend edge, 1.3% against 0.55%, and on the market's belief that skilled-nursing revenue is safer than acute-care margins. Nineteen turns is a lot of safety; the returns tables suggest most of it is already being paid for twice.
Comparison updated 2026-07-10.
| Metric | NHC | UHS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $200.71 | $145.68 |
| Market cap | $3.2B | $9.0B |
| Sector | Medical Care | Medical Care |
| Stage | Mature | Mature |
| Implied growth (priced in) | +13.2% | — |
| P/E | 25.5 | 6.1 |
| P/B | 2.89 | 1.19 |
| P/S | 2.07 | 0.51 |
| EV/EBITDA | 17.6 | 5.4 |
| Revenue growth | +11.0% | +10.4% |
| Operating margin | 8.4% | 11.2% |
| Net margin | 8.1% | 8.6% |
| Return on equity | 11.3% | 20.2% |
| Return on assets | 8.1% | 9.7% |
| Return on invested capital | 9.5% | 12.0% |
| FCF yield | 5.3% | 10.2% |
| Dividend yield | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Debt / equity | 0.00 | 0.72 |
| Current ratio | 1.86 | 1.08 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 6.47 | 7.26 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 6 / 9 | 7 / 9 |
Each week boothcheck ranks the stocks whose prices are betting on the most. Read the most stretched bets archive →
boothcheck is also on Android. Get the app on Google Play →
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.