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EHC vs. HCA: Encompass Health vs. HCA Healthcare Stock Comparison

How do Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA) are both classified in the Health Care Facilities sub-industry within the broader Health Care Providers & Services industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
Profile ItemEHCHCA
NameEncompass Health CorporationHCA Healthcare, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Providers & ServicesHealth Care Providers & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care FacilitiesHealth Care Facilities
Market Capitalization13.50 billion USD103.40 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateSeptember 24, 1986March 10, 2011
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

EHC
HCA
GSPC
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricEHCHCA
Total Return (1Y)22.16%6.56%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)30.96%31.39%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)23.55%16.40%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

EHC
HCA
GSPC
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricEHCHCA
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)30.54%32.89%
Beta (5Y)0.821.07
Max Drawdown (5Y)-27.33%-39.49%
Avg. Volume (3M)996.79K1.35M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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EHC and HCA are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricEHCHCA
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.590.07
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.080.11

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Encompass Health (EHC) earns 25.11% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; HCA Healthcare (HCA) has no ROE this period.

EHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

25.11%

Max
47.61%
EHC
25.11%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

--

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
HCA
--
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): HCA does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; EHC is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Encompass Health (EHC) at 10.17% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 8.61%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

EHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

10.17%

Max
29.35%
EHC
10.17%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

8.61%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
HCA
8.61%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Encompass Health (EHC) at 18.07% and HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 14.83% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

EHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

18.07%

Max
35.43%
EHC
18.07%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

14.83%

Max
35.43%
HCA
14.83%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricEHCHCA
ROE (TTM)25.11%--
ROA (TTM)10.08%12.23%
Net Margin (TTM)10.17%8.61%
Operating Margin (TTM)18.07%14.83%
Gross Margin (TTM)44.15%42.76%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Encompass Health (EHC) at 10.46% and HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 7.08% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 28.77% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Encompass Health (EHC) at 24.22% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for HCA.

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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricEHCHCA
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.46%7.08%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)10.92%7.87%
EPS Growth (YoY)24.22%28.77%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)27.07%13.94%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Encompass Health (EHC) at 1.09 and HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 0.82 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

EHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.09

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
EHC
1.09
Min
0.30

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.82

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
HCA
0.82
Min
0.30
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Encompass Health (EHC) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79 against its industry range, while HCA Healthcare (HCA) reports no figure this period.

EHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.79

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
EHC
0.79
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

--

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
HCA
--
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): HCA does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; EHC is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricEHCHCA
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.090.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.79--
Net Debt / EBITDA1.793.26

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Encompass Health (EHC) at 0.55% and HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 0.60% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

EHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.55%

EHC
0.55%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.60%

HCA
0.60%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Encompass Health (EHC) at 12.48% and HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 10.15% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

EHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

12.48%

EHC
12.48%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

10.15%

HCA
10.15%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricEHCHCA
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.55%0.60%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)12.48%10.15%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 16.42 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Encompass Health (EHC) at 22.01 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for HCA, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

EHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

22.01

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
EHC
22.01
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

16.42

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
HCA
16.42
Min
4.21
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Encompass Health (EHC) at 2.13 and HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 1.31 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

EHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.13

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
EHC
2.13
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.31

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
HCA
1.31
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

HCA Healthcare (HCA) reports a negative P/B ratio of -12.92, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Encompass Health (EHC) reports 5.04, ranking against industry peers normally.

EHC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

5.04

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
EHC
5.04
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

-12.92

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
HCA
-12.92
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Encompass Health (EHC) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Encompass Health (EHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricEHCHCA
P/E Ratio (TTM)22.0116.42
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.131.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.04-12.92
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.97%3.81%