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FMS vs. HCA: Fresenius Medical Care vs. HCA Healthcare Stock Comparison

How do Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) 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

Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA) both belong to the Health Care Providers & Services industry, though FMS is classified under Health Care Services while HCA falls under Health Care Facilities.

HCA Healthcare (HCA) trades as ordinary local shares, while Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
Profile ItemFMSHCA
NameFresenius Medical Care AG - Depositary ReceiptHCA Healthcare, Inc.
Country/RegionGermanyUnited 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 ServicesHealth Care Facilities
Market Capitalization12.15 billion USD103.40 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateSeptember 17, 1996March 10, 2011
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FMS
HCA
GSPC
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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) 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 Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricFMSHCA
Total Return (1Y)-0.71%6.56%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)13.88%31.39%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-4.69%16.40%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FMS
HCA
GSPC
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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) 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 Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricFMSHCA
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)30.61%32.89%
Beta (5Y)0.771.07
Max Drawdown (5Y)-62.33%-39.49%
Avg. Volume (3M)954.21K1.35M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FMS 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 Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricFMSHCA
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.160.07
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.210.11

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) earns 7.84% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; HCA Healthcare (HCA) has no ROE this period.

FMS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

7.84%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
FMS
7.84%
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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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): HCA does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; FMS is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 4.22% and HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 8.61% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

FMS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

4.22%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
FMS
4.22%
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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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 14.83% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 9.63%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

FMS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.63%

Max
35.43%
Q3
14.14%
FMS
9.63%
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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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricFMSHCA
ROE (TTM)7.84%--
ROA (TTM)3.94%12.23%
Net Margin (TTM)4.22%8.61%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.63%14.83%
Gross Margin (TTM)26.46%42.76%

Growth

Revenue Growth

HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 7.08% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 1.51% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 83.61% and HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 28.77% sit in the top peer quartile for EPS growth, so each is compounding per-share earnings faster than typical industry peers.

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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricFMSHCA
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.51%7.08%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.39%7.87%
EPS Growth (YoY)83.61%28.77%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.47%13.94%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 0.99 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.

FMS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.99

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
FMS
0.99
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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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) 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: Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79 against its industry range, while HCA Healthcare (HCA) reports no figure this period.

FMS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.79

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
FMS
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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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): HCA does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; FMS is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricFMSHCA
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.990.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.79--
Net Debt / EBITDA3.633.26

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 6.30% 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.

FMS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

6.30%

FMS
6.30%
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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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 50.14% 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.

FMS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

50.14%

FMS
50.14%
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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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricFMSHCA
Dividend Yield (TTM)6.30%0.60%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)50.14%10.15%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 13.53 and HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 16.42 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.

FMS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

13.53

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
FMS
13.53
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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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) vs. HCA Healthcare (HCA): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 0.62 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 1.31 prices around its industry’s middle — FMS costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

FMS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.62

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
FMS
0.62
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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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) 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 Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) reports 0.85, ranking against industry peers normally.

FMS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.85

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
FMS
0.85
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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Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) 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 Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) and HCA Healthcare (HCA)
MetricFMSHCA
P/E Ratio (TTM)13.5316.42
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.621.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)0.85-12.92
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)12.29%3.81%