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STOCK COMPARISON

Ensign Group vs HCA Healthcare: Fair Value & Quality

Both stocks run through our valuation models. Here is how Ensign Group (ENSG) and HCA Healthcare (HCA) compare, as of Sep 5, 2026.

As of Sep 5, 2026, Fair Value Calculator sees HCA Healthcare as the more attractively valued of the two: Ensign Group trades at $172 versus a fair value of $95.37 (-45%), while HCA Healthcare trades at $409 versus $548 (+34%).
Ensign Group
ENSG · USD · Health Care
-45%
upside to fair value
overvalued
Price$172
Fair Value$95.37
Quality56/100
HCA Healthcare
HCA · USD · Health Care
+34%
upside to fair value
undervalued
Price$409
Fair Value$548
Quality71/100
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Head-to-head numbers

Green value = the better side for that row (for valuation multiples: lower = cheaper).

Ensign GroupHCA Healthcare
Valuation
28.9×P/E (TTM)14.2×
1.87×P/S (TTM)1.06×
4.42×P/B
17.0×EV/EBITDA7.8×
1.50×PEG1.18×
−44.6%Fair value upside+33.8%
0.1%Dividend yield0.7%
$0.26Dividend per share$2.94
Profitability
9%Operating margin15%
0.90×EBIT margin trend (5Y)1.12×
17%Return on equity136%
5%Return on assets12%
Growth
18%Revenue growth (YoY)4%
18.7%Avg. growth/yr (3Y)7.9%
16.1%Avg. growth/yr (5Y)8.0%
+13.9%Value creation/yr+22.7%
Balance & size
53.2×Interest coverage (EBIT/interest)5.3×
0.06×Debt / equity
$10BMarket cap$81B
healthyGrowth qualityhealthy

HCA Healthcare leads: 3 to 10 metric wins.

Dash = not meaningfully computable, for example with negative equity.

Quality in detail

The quality score, broken down into the same factor families as on the stock page, 0 to 100 per family.

Ensign Groupof which business quality 58 · market factors 50 HCA Healthcareof which business quality 66 · market factors 43
ProfitabilityMargins and returns on capital today
47
76
Quality GrowthAre margins and returns improving?
57
61
CashflowEarnings quality: real cash, not paper profit
54
62
Fin. StrengthBalance sheet, leverage, solvency risk
77
39
InvestmentDisciplined investing over empire-building
36
75
Low VolatilityCalm price path (market factor)
79
58
MomentumPrice trend over the last 3–12 months (market factor)
37
37
52W MomentumDistance to the 52-week high (market factor)
39
35
Net IssuanceBuybacks instead of dilution
70
100

What the models say

How far the median fair value (base case) per model family sits from the current price, in percent. The amount in the currency of the trading venue is shown underneath.

above the price, more than 15% above close to the price, 85% to 115% of the price below the price, more than 15% below

Model familyEnsign GroupPrice $172HCA HealthcarePrice $409
DCF Models-5%close to the price$164+33%above the price$546
Earnings-Based-46%below the price$92.11-29%below the price$289
Dividend Discount-98%below the price$4.02-87%below the price$53.85
Multiples-33%below the price$115+64%above the price$673
Asset-Based-85%below the price$25.58n/a
Growth DCF-12%close to the price$152+32%above the price$540
Economic Profit-60%below the price$69.27+2%close to the price$419
Growth Earnings-19%below the price$140+24%above the price$506
Minimum-98%below the price$4.02-87%below the price$53.85
Maximum-5%close to the price$164+64%above the price$673
Median-40%below the price$104+24%above the price$506
Geometric mean-63%below the price$63.49-14%close to the price$351

Minimum, maximum, median and geometric mean refer to the family values in this table. Geometric because deviations are ratios: half the price and twice the price average to 100%, not 125%.

Ensign Group: 23 of 26 models see the stock below the current price.

HCA Healthcare: 6 of 23 models see the stock below the current price.

Scenario ranges

From our cautious bear case to the optimistic bull case. The white tick is the current price: left of fair value means room to run.

Ensign Group
Bear $71.53Fair Value $95.37Bull $182
$172 = current price (white tick)
HCA Healthcare
Bear $260Fair Value $548Bull $841
$409 = current price (white tick)

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Ranked within their sector

Where each stock sits within its sector peer group. Band = middle 50% of peers, tick = median, dot = this stock.

Ensign Group · Health Care

Quality score56 · above median
Fair value upside-45% · below median

HCA Healthcare · Health Care

Quality score71 · Top 25%
Fair value upside+34% · Top 25%

Bottom line

As of Sep 5, 2026, Fair Value Calculator sees HCA Healthcare as the more attractively valued of the two: Ensign Group trades at $172 versus a fair value of $95.37 (-45%), while HCA Healthcare trades at $409 versus $548 (+34%).

HCA Healthcare has the higher quality score (71/100).

See the full analysis →

More comparisons

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A model-based valuation snapshot from 26 models. Values change with price and fundamentals; the date shown above applies.