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HCA vs. STE: HCA Healthcare vs. STERIS Stock Comparison

How do HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE) 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

HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE) both fall under the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group, but HCA is classified in Health Care Providers & Services while STE is classified in Health Care Equipment & Supplies.

Company profile comparison for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE)
Profile ItemHCASTE
NameHCA Healthcare, Inc.STERIS plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Providers & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care FacilitiesHealth Care Equipment
Market Capitalization103.40 billion USD24.50 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 10, 2011June 1, 1992
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

HCA
STE
GSPC
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE), 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 HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE)
MetricHCASTE
Total Return (1Y)6.56%-1.85%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)31.39%9.57%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.40%3.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

HCA
STE
GSPC
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE), 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 HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE)
MetricHCASTE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)32.89%26.39%
Beta (5Y)1.070.81
Max Drawdown (5Y)-39.49%-36.18%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.35M694.02K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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HCA and STE 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 HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE)
MetricHCASTE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.07-0.23
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.11-0.34

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: STERIS (STE) earns 11.61% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; HCA Healthcare (HCA) has no ROE this period.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

--

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

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

11.61%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
STE
11.61%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): HCA does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; STE is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

STERIS (STE) at 13.41% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 8.61%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

13.41%

Max
29.35%
STE
13.41%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 14.83% and STERIS (STE) at 19.18% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

19.18%

Max
35.43%
STE
19.18%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE)
MetricHCASTE
ROE (TTM)--11.61%
ROA (TTM)12.23%7.00%
Net Margin (TTM)8.61%13.41%
Operating Margin (TTM)14.83%19.18%
Gross Margin (TTM)42.76%44.30%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 7.08% and STERIS (STE) at 8.73% 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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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 28.77% and STERIS (STE) at 27.90% 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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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE)
MetricHCASTE
Revenue Growth (YoY)7.08%8.73%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.87%9.38%
EPS Growth (YoY)28.77%27.90%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.94%94.97%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

STERIS (STE) at 2.05 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 0.82 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for HCA.

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

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.05

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
STE
2.05
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): 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: STERIS (STE) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28 against its industry range, while HCA Healthcare (HCA) reports no figure this period.

HCA

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

--

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
HCA
--

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.28

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
STE
0.28
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): HCA does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; STE is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE)
MetricHCASTE
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.822.05
Debt / Equity (MRQ)--0.28
Net Debt / EBITDA3.260.91

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 0.60% and STERIS (STE) at 1.02% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

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%

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.02%

STE
1.02%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 10.15% and STERIS (STE) at 30.61% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

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%

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

30.61%

STE
30.61%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE)
MetricHCASTE
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.60%1.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)10.15%30.61%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 16.42 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while STERIS (STE) at 29.93 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for HCA, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

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

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

29.93

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
STE
29.93
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): 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 HCA Healthcare (HCA) at 1.31 and STERIS (STE) at 3.97 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.97

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
STE
3.97
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): 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 STERIS (STE) reports 3.38, ranking against industry peers normally.

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

STE

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.38

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
STE
3.38
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
Loading chart…
HCA Healthcare (HCA) vs. STERIS (STE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for HCA Healthcare (HCA) and STERIS (STE)
MetricHCASTE
P/E Ratio (TTM)16.4229.93
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.313.97
P/B Ratio (MRQ)-12.923.38
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.81%3.36%