Seek Returns

SNN vs. UHS: Smith & Nephew vs. Universal Health Services Stock Comparison

How do Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS) 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

Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS) both fall under the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group, but SNN is classified in Health Care Equipment & Supplies while UHS is classified in Health Care Providers & Services.

Universal Health Services (UHS) trades as ordinary local shares, while Smith & Nephew (SNN) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS)
Profile ItemSNNUHS
NameSmith & Nephew plc Sponsored ADRUniversal Health Services Inc. Class B Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited KingdomUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Equipment & SuppliesHealth Care Providers & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care EquipmentHealth Care Facilities
Market Capitalization13.04 billion USD11.52 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateNovember 16, 1999July 9, 1981
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

SNN
UHS
GSPC
Loading price history…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS)
MetricSNNUHS
Total Return (1Y)-4.20%-12.89%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.34%16.25%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-0.34%9.70%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

SNN
UHS
GSPC
Loading price history…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS)
MetricSNNUHS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.31%34.26%
Beta (5Y)0.491.06
Max Drawdown (5Y)-38.80%-43.34%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.49M707.83K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
SNN and UHS 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 Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS)
MetricSNNUHS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.31-0.50
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.46-0.70

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Universal Health Services (UHS) at 19.74% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 11.85% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for UHS.

SNN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

11.85%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
SNN
11.85%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%

UHS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

19.74%

Max
47.61%
UHS
19.74%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 10.08% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Universal Health Services (UHS) at 7.97%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

SNN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

10.08%

Max
29.35%
SNN
10.08%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%

UHS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

7.97%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
UHS
7.97%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 14.47% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Universal Health Services (UHS) at 9.60%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

SNN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

14.47%

Max
35.43%
SNN
14.47%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%

UHS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.60%

Max
35.43%
Q3
14.14%
UHS
9.60%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS)
MetricSNNUHS
ROE (TTM)11.85%19.74%
ROA (TTM)5.16%7.65%
Net Margin (TTM)10.08%7.97%
Operating Margin (TTM)14.47%9.60%
Gross Margin (TTM)68.44%44.51%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 6.09% and Universal Health Services (UHS) at 9.71% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 52.34% and Universal Health Services (UHS) at 37.34% sit in the top peer quartile for EPS growth, so each is compounding per-share earnings faster than typical industry peers.

Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS)
MetricSNNUHS
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.09%9.71%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.73%9.03%
EPS Growth (YoY)52.34%37.34%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)42.01%36.21%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 2.14 and Universal Health Services (UHS) at 1.37 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

SNN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.14

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
SNN
2.14
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30

UHS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.37

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
UHS
1.37
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30
Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 0.73 and Universal Health Services (UHS) at 0.80 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

SNN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.73

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
SNN
0.73
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00

UHS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.80

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
UHS
0.80
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS)
MetricSNNUHS
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.141.37
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.730.80
Net Debt / EBITDA2.192.27

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 1.24% and Universal Health Services (UHS) at 0.10% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

SNN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.24%

SNN
1.24%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

UHS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.10%

UHS
0.10%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 53.20% and Universal Health Services (UHS) at 3.35% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

SNN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

53.20%

SNN
53.20%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

UHS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.35%

UHS
3.35%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS)
MetricSNNUHS
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.24%0.10%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)53.20%3.35%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Universal Health Services (UHS) at 8.18 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 21.19 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for UHS, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

SNN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

21.19

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
SNN
21.19
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21

UHS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

8.18

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
UHS
8.18
Min
4.21
Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Universal Health Services (UHS) at 0.63 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 2.07 prices around its industry’s middle — UHS costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

SNN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.07

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
SNN
2.07
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03

UHS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.63

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
UHS
0.63
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Universal Health Services (UHS) at 1.51 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile relative to book while Smith & Nephew (SNN) at 12.80 prices above its industry range — a wide valuation gap against assets.

SNN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

12.80

SNN
12.80
Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31

UHS

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.51

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
UHS
1.51
Min
-1.31
Loading chart…
Smith & Nephew (SNN) vs. Universal Health Services (UHS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Universal Health Services (UHS)
MetricSNNUHS
P/E Ratio (TTM)21.198.18
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.070.63
P/B Ratio (MRQ)12.801.51
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)8.12%6.47%