EHC vs. WAT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at EHC and WAT, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | EHC | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Encompass Health Corporation | Waters Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Providers & Services | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 12.41 billion USD | 19.55 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | September 24, 1986 | November 17, 1995 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of EHC and WAT 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 | EHC | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -2.10% | 13.46% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 3.52% | -6.23% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 21.67% | -10.90% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 29.59% | -7.51% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -2.98% | 9.53% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 33.44% | -11.48% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.58M | 0.68M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.79M | 0.74M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 26.71% | 42.93% |
| Beta | 0.77 | 1.16 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
EHC
24.70%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 24.86%
- Q3
- 15.79%
- Median
- 8.56%
- Q1
- 5.75%
- Min
- -1.64%
In the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, EHC’s Return on Equity of 24.70% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
WAT
35.02%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.96%
- Q3
- 11.51%
- Median
- 6.47%
- Q1
- 3.86%
- Min
- -6.95%
WAT’s Return on Equity of 35.02% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Life Sciences Tools & 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)
EHC
9.22%
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 9.22% places EHC in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
WAT
21.71%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 32.18%
- Q3
- 18.30%
- Median
- 10.19%
- Q1
- 4.20%
- Min
- -2.05%
A Net Profit Margin of 21.71% places WAT in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
EHC
17.06%
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 17.06% places EHC 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.
WAT
27.69%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 38.39%
- Q3
- 21.40%
- Median
- 13.57%
- Q1
- 8.38%
- Min
- -3.51%
An Operating Profit Margin of 27.69% places WAT in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & 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 | EHC | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 24.70% | 35.02% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.91% | 14.40% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 9.22% | 21.71% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.06% | 27.69% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 95.62% | 59.02% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
EHC
1.06
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.00
- Q3
- 1.51
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 0.92
- Min
- 0.14
EHC’s Current Ratio of 1.06 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.
WAT
1.75
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.46
- Q3
- 2.78
- Median
- 1.91
- Q1
- 1.53
- Min
- 0.43
WAT’s Current Ratio of 1.75 aligns with the median group of the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
EHC
1.08
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.29
- Q3
- 1.24
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.50
- Min
- 0.00
EHC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.08 is typical for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
WAT
0.67
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.35
- Q3
- 0.74
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.18
- Min
- 0.00
WAT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.67 is typical for the Life Sciences Tools & 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 (TTM)
EHC
6.58
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 7.50
- Median
- 4.52
- Q1
- 2.12
- Min
- -4.44
EHC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 6.58 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
WAT
11.29
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 45.00
- Q3
- 27.84
- Median
- 7.16
- Q1
- 2.12
- Min
- -14.08
WAT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 11.29 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | EHC | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.06 | 1.75 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.87 | 1.22 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.08 | 0.67 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 6.58 | 11.29 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
EHC
0.54%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 5.93%
- Q3
- 2.59%
- Median
- 1.35%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
EHC’s Dividend Yield of 0.54% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Providers & Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
WAT
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.41%
- Q3
- 0.65%
- Median
- 0.35%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WAT 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.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
EHC
12.84%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 185.33%
- Q3
- 74.82%
- Median
- 36.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
EHC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 12.84% is within the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
WAT
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 113.14%
- Q3
- 61.34%
- Median
- 17.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WAT 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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | EHC | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.54% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 12.84% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
EHC
23.66
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 40.02
- Q3
- 29.75
- Median
- 21.09
- Q1
- 14.18
- Min
- 7.05
EHC’s P/E Ratio of 23.66 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.
WAT
29.31
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 75.35
- Q3
- 51.00
- Median
- 32.93
- Q1
- 25.27
- Min
- 1.43
WAT’s P/E Ratio of 29.31 is within the middle range for the Life Sciences Tools & 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)
EHC
2.18
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.15
- Q3
- 1.87
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.09
EHC’s P/S Ratio of 2.18 is in the upper echelon for the Health Care Providers & Services 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.
WAT
6.36
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 10.49
- Q3
- 6.43
- Median
- 4.66
- Q1
- 2.88
- Min
- 1.08
WAT’s P/S Ratio of 6.36 aligns with the market consensus for the Life Sciences Tools & 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)
EHC
5.43
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.33
- Q3
- 4.45
- Median
- 2.52
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 0.66
EHC’s P/B Ratio of 5.43 is in the upper tier for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
WAT
9.62
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 6.69
- Q3
- 5.00
- Median
- 3.46
- Q1
- 2.38
- Min
- 0.93
At 9.62, WAT’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Life Sciences Tools & 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 | EHC | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 23.66 | 29.31 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.18 | 6.36 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 5.43 | 9.62 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 28.16 | 31.29 |