AZN vs. HCA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AZN and HCA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AZN’s market capitalization of 430.65 billion USD is substantially larger than HCA’s 90.60 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
HCA carries a higher beta at 1.50, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while AZN (beta: 0.17) exhibits greater stability.
AZN trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, HCA is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | AZN | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AstraZeneca PLC | HCA Healthcare, Inc. |
| Country | GB | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Drug Manufacturers - General | Medical - Care Facilities |
| CEO | Pascal Claude Roland Soriot | Samuel N. Hazen |
| Price | 69.45 USD | 376.58 USD |
| Market Cap | 430.65 billion USD | 90.60 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.17 | 1.50 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 12, 1993 | March 10, 2011 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AZN 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.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AZN
19.18%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
AZN’s Return on Equity of 19.18% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
HCA
-235.88%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 37.16%
- Q3
- 13.80%
- Median
- 6.51%
- Q1
- -11.55%
- Min
- -43.55%
HCA has a negative Return on Equity of -235.88%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
Return on Invested Capital
AZN
10.93%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
AZN’s Return on Invested Capital of 10.93% is in line with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
HCA
16.94%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 20.36%
- Q3
- 9.05%
- Median
- 5.41%
- Q1
- -1.08%
- Min
- -9.00%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry, HCA’s Return on Invested Capital of 16.94% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
AZN
14.14%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
AZN’s Net Profit Margin of 14.14% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
HCA
8.07%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 12.40%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- 3.17%
- Q1
- -3.80%
- Min
- -13.43%
A Net Profit Margin of 8.07% places HCA in the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
AZN
19.21%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
AZN’s Operating Profit Margin of 19.21% is around the midpoint for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
HCA
15.15%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 17.86%
- Q3
- 10.40%
- Median
- 6.40%
- Q1
- 0.40%
- Min
- -10.86%
An Operating Profit Margin of 15.15% places HCA in the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities 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 | AZN | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 19.18% | -235.88% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.31% | 9.66% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 10.93% | 16.94% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.14% | 8.07% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 19.21% | 15.15% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 81.41% | 67.91% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AZN
0.90
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
AZN’s Current Ratio of 0.90 aligns with the median group of the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
HCA
1.19
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.67
- Q3
- 1.76
- Median
- 1.35
- Q1
- 1.12
- Min
- 0.57
HCA’s Current Ratio of 1.19 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Care Facilities industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AZN
0.77
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
AZN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.77 is typical for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
HCA
-13.20
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.55
- Q3
- 1.40
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.26
- Min
- 0.01
HCA has a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of -13.20, which indicates negative shareholder equity where liabilities exceed assets. This is a critical sign of financial distress.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AZN
7.95
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
AZN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.95 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
HCA
5.17
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 16.29
- Q3
- 6.85
- Median
- 2.93
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- -7.11
HCA’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.17 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Medical - Care Facilities industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AZN | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.90 | 1.19 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.70 | 1.06 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.77 | -13.20 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.30 | 0.78 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 1.49 | 3.23 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.95 | 5.17 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AZN and HCA. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AZN
1.87%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
AZN’s Dividend Yield of 1.87% is in the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
HCA
0.73%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.79%
- Q3
- 0.08%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 0.73%, HCA offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Medical - Care Facilities industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AZN
63.60%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
AZN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 63.60% is within the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
HCA
11.85%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 56.48%
- Q3
- 4.48%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
HCA’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 11.85% is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AZN | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.87% | 0.73% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 63.60% | 11.85% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AZN
28.12
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
At 28.12, AZN’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
HCA
16.25
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 40.40
- Q3
- 28.24
- Median
- 24.89
- Q1
- 13.53
- Min
- 8.53
HCA’s P/E Ratio of 16.25 is within the middle range for the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AZN
2.56
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
AZN’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.56 is within the middle range of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
HCA
1.21
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 4.23
- Q3
- 3.06
- Median
- 1.16
- Q1
- 0.77
- Min
- 0.04
HCA’s Forward PEG Ratio of 1.21 is within the middle range of its peers in the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AZN
3.98
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
AZN’s P/S Ratio of 3.98 aligns with the market consensus for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
HCA
1.27
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.38
- Q3
- 1.50
- Median
- 0.79
- Q1
- 0.49
- Min
- 0.04
HCA’s P/S Ratio of 1.27 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AZN
5.33
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 7.80
- Q3
- 7.80
- Median
- 5.30
- Q1
- 4.06
- Min
- 1.08
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry.
HCA
-26.69
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 7.73
- Q3
- 4.07
- Median
- 2.16
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.66
HCA has a negative P/B Ratio of -26.69, indicating its liabilities exceed its assets and result in negative shareholder equity. This is a critical warning sign of financial distress.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AZN | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 28.12 | 16.25 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.56 | 1.21 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.98 | 1.27 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 5.33 | -26.69 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 22.59 | 18.31 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 13.82 | 9.67 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 4.46 | 1.90 |