ABT vs. HCA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ABT and HCA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | ABT | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Abbott Laboratories | HCA Healthcare, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | Health Care Providers & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 232.77 billion USD | 101.45 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | March 10, 2011 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ABT and HCA by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -0.15% | 1.72% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 0.03% | 14.40% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 1.56% | 25.40% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 19.17% | 10.47% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -0.15% | 1.72% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 18.24% | 44.44% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 5.87M | 1.03M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 6.20M | 1.36M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 23.24% | 22.70% |
| Beta | 0.73 | 1.38 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ABT
29.93%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 29.93%
- Q3
- 16.99%
- Median
- 9.28%
- Q1
- 5.10%
- Min
- -12.52%
In the upper quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, ABT’s Return on Equity of 29.93% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
HCA
695.73%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 24.86%
- Q3
- 15.79%
- Median
- 8.56%
- Q1
- 5.75%
- Min
- -1.64%
HCA’s Return on Equity of 695.73% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ABT
32.43%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.41%
- Q3
- 13.71%
- Median
- 10.08%
- Q1
- 5.96%
- Min
- -5.58%
ABT’s Net Profit Margin of 32.43% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
HCA
8.21%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 11.56%
- Q3
- 5.45%
- Median
- 2.83%
- Q1
- 1.13%
- Min
- -1.71%
A Net Profit Margin of 8.21% places HCA in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ABT
17.34%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.09%
- Q3
- 18.11%
- Median
- 15.07%
- Q1
- 8.48%
- Min
- -0.28%
ABT’s Operating Profit Margin of 17.34% is around the midpoint for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
HCA
15.24%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.08%
- Q3
- 9.66%
- Median
- 4.77%
- Q1
- 2.46%
- Min
- -0.83%
An Operating Profit Margin of 15.24% places HCA in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 29.93% | 695.73% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 17.41% | 10.02% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.43% | 8.21% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.34% | 15.24% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 56.20% | 84.79% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ABT
1.82
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 5.19
- Q3
- 3.00
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.86
ABT’s Current Ratio of 1.82 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
HCA
0.98
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.00
- Q3
- 1.51
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 0.92
- Min
- 0.14
HCA’s Current Ratio of 0.98 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ABT
0.27
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.61
- Q3
- 0.76
- Median
- 0.45
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.00
ABT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.27 is typical for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
HCA
125.80
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.29
- Q3
- 1.24
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.50
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 125.80, HCA operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Health Care Providers & Services industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
ABT
38.30
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 56.35
- Q3
- 25.56
- Median
- 9.60
- Q1
- 3.78
- Min
- -26.49
ABT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 38.30 is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
HCA
5.18
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 7.50
- Median
- 4.52
- Q1
- 2.12
- Min
- -4.44
HCA’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.18 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.82 | 0.98 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.14 | 0.86 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.27 | 125.80 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 38.30 | 5.18 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ABT
1.70%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.15%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ABT’s Dividend Yield of 1.70% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
HCA
0.67%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 5.93%
- Q3
- 2.59%
- Median
- 1.35%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
HCA’s Dividend Yield of 0.67% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Providers & Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
ABT
28.42%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 160.00%
- Q3
- 66.60%
- Median
- 27.49%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ABT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.42% is within the typical range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
HCA
11.47%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 185.33%
- Q3
- 74.82%
- Median
- 36.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
HCA’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 11.47% is within the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.70% | 0.67% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 28.42% | 11.47% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ABT
16.70
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 67.29
- Q3
- 47.01
- Median
- 30.94
- Q1
- 23.91
- Min
- 10.79
In the lower quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, ABT’s P/E Ratio of 16.70 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
HCA
17.02
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 40.02
- Q3
- 29.75
- Median
- 21.09
- Q1
- 14.18
- Min
- 7.05
HCA’s P/E Ratio of 17.02 is within the middle range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ABT
5.42
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 9.49
- Q3
- 5.41
- Median
- 2.86
- Q1
- 2.07
- Min
- 0.74
ABT’s P/S Ratio of 5.42 is in the upper echelon for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
HCA
1.40
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.15
- Q3
- 1.87
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.09
HCA’s P/S Ratio of 1.40 aligns with the market consensus for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ABT
4.68
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 10.85
- Q3
- 6.56
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 2.36
- Min
- 0.71
ABT’s P/B Ratio of 4.68 is within the conventional range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
HCA
256.92
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.33
- Q3
- 4.45
- Median
- 2.52
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 0.66
At 256.92, HCA’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 16.70 | 17.02 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.42 | 1.40 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 4.68 | 256.92 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 34.46 | 13.93 |