ALGN vs. LH: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ALGN and LH, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
LH’s market capitalization of 21.91 billion USD is significantly greater than ALGN’s 14.27 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
ALGN’s beta of 1.64 points to significantly higher volatility compared to LH (beta: 0.79), suggesting ALGN has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
| Symbol | ALGN | LH |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Align Technology, Inc. | Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Medical - Devices | Medical - Equipment & Services |
| CEO | Joseph M. Hogan | Adam H. Schechter |
| Price | 196.82 USD | 261.89 USD |
| Market Cap | 14.27 billion USD | 21.91 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.64 | 0.79 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | January 30, 2001 | March 29, 1990 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ALGN and LH 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.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ALGN
10.67%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 49.04%
- Q3
- 9.53%
- Median
- -7.46%
- Q1
- -32.83%
- Min
- -82.64%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, ALGN’s Return on Equity of 10.67% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
LH
8.98%
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 34.18%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- -14.21%
- Q1
- -42.39%
- Min
- -57.31%
LH’s Return on Equity of 8.98% is on par with the norm for the Medical - Equipment & Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ALGN
9.78%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 21.88%
- Q3
- 6.63%
- Median
- -1.11%
- Q1
- -21.08%
- Min
- -51.95%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, ALGN’s Return on Invested Capital of 9.78% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
LH
5.48%
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 9.06%
- Q3
- 6.37%
- Median
- 4.11%
- Q1
- -1.97%
- Min
- -14.49%
LH’s Return on Invested Capital of 5.48% is in line with the norm for the Medical - Equipment & Services industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
ALGN
10.29%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 44.80%
- Q3
- 9.77%
- Median
- -5.53%
- Q1
- -29.37%
- Min
- -87.68%
A Net Profit Margin of 10.29% places ALGN in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
LH
5.55%
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 8.09%
- Q3
- 6.18%
- Median
- -19.68%
- Q1
- -59.13%
- Min
- -101.82%
LH’s Net Profit Margin of 5.55% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Medical - Equipment & Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
ALGN
14.69%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 30.13%
- Q3
- 13.12%
- Median
- 3.47%
- Q1
- -24.42%
- Min
- -80.56%
An Operating Profit Margin of 14.69% places ALGN in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
LH
8.37%
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 16.01%
- Q3
- 10.28%
- Median
- 6.69%
- Q1
- -15.48%
- Min
- -54.12%
LH’s Operating Profit Margin of 8.37% is around the midpoint for the Medical - Equipment & Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ALGN | LH |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 10.67% | 8.98% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 6.71% | 4.15% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 9.78% | 5.48% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.29% | 5.55% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.69% | 8.37% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 69.87% | 27.42% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ALGN
1.21
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 12.68
- Q3
- 6.30
- Median
- 4.05
- Q1
- 1.85
- Min
- 0.01
ALGN’s Current Ratio of 1.21 falls into the lower quartile for the Medical - Devices industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
LH
1.84
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 11.42
- Q3
- 5.56
- Median
- 1.98
- Q1
- 1.65
- Min
- 1.10
LH’s Current Ratio of 1.84 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Equipment & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ALGN
0.03
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 2.34
- Q3
- 1.09
- Median
- 0.37
- Q1
- 0.08
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, ALGN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.03 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
LH
0.78
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.69
- Q3
- 1.01
- Median
- 0.65
- Q1
- 0.39
- Min
- 0.02
LH’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.78 is typical for the Medical - Equipment & Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ALGN
--
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 18.18
- Q3
- 7.53
- Median
- 0.85
- Q1
- -9.80
- Min
- -33.94
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ALGN is currently unavailable.
LH
6.83
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 9.03
- Q3
- 7.93
- Median
- 6.83
- Q1
- 5.29
- Min
- 3.75
LH’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 6.83 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Medical - Equipment & Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ALGN | LH |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.21 | 1.84 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.08 | 1.60 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.03 | 0.78 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.02 | 0.37 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -0.94 | 3.41 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -- | 6.83 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ALGN and LH. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ALGN
0.00%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 3.57%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALGN currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
LH
1.10%
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.11%
- Q3
- 0.72%
- Median
- 0.30%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 1.10%, LH offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Medical - Equipment & Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ALGN
0.00%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 102.12%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALGN has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
LH
33.20%
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 987.07%
- Q3
- 271.66%
- Median
- 16.60%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
LH’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 33.20% is within the typical range for the Medical - Equipment & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ALGN | LH |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 1.10% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 33.20% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ALGN
35.35
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 90.56
- Q3
- 56.92
- Median
- 43.19
- Q1
- 21.79
- Min
- 5.55
ALGN’s P/E Ratio of 35.35 is within the middle range for the Medical - Devices industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
LH
29.96
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 29.81
- Q3
- 26.64
- Median
- 23.46
- Q1
- 20.29
- Min
- 17.12
At 29.96, LH’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Medical - Equipment & Services industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ALGN
3.34
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 6.56
- Q3
- 3.52
- Median
- 2.22
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.03
ALGN’s Forward PEG Ratio of 3.34 is within the middle range of its peers in the Medical - Devices industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
LH
4.04
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 4.02
- Q3
- 2.55
- Median
- 1.08
- Q1
- 0.70
- Min
- 0.33
LH’s Forward PEG Ratio of 4.04 is exceptionally high for the Medical - Equipment & Services industry. This suggests its stock price is very high relative to its expected earnings growth, signaling significant overvaluation risk.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ALGN
3.58
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 15.74
- Q3
- 8.12
- Median
- 3.40
- Q1
- 2.37
- Min
- 0.42
ALGN’s P/S Ratio of 3.58 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Devices industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
LH
1.66
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.06
- Q3
- 3.65
- Median
- 1.53
- Q1
- 1.38
- Min
- 1.33
LH’s P/S Ratio of 1.66 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Equipment & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ALGN
3.82
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 16.65
- Q3
- 8.03
- Median
- 3.73
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- 0.65
ALGN’s P/B Ratio of 3.82 is within the conventional range for the Medical - Devices 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.
LH
2.64
Medical - Equipment & Services Industry
- Max
- 8.29
- Q3
- 4.15
- Median
- 2.05
- Q1
- 1.39
- Min
- 1.12
LH’s P/B Ratio of 2.64 is within the conventional range for the Medical - Equipment & Services 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ALGN | LH |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 35.35 | 29.96 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 3.34 | 4.04 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.58 | 1.66 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 3.82 | 2.64 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 22.62 | 19.02 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 16.80 | 15.58 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 3.39 | 2.13 |