National HealthCare vs HCA Healthcare: Fair Value & Quality
Both stocks run through our valuation models. Here is how National HealthCare (NHC) and HCA Healthcare (HCA) compare, as of Aug 14, 2026.
As of Aug 14, 2026, Fair Value Calculator sees HCA Healthcare as the more attractively valued of the two: National HealthCare trades at $220 versus a fair value of $158 (-28%), while HCA Healthcare trades at $412 versus $548 (+33%).
National HealthCare
NHC · USD · Health Care
-28%
upside to fair value
overvalued
Price$220
Fair Value$158
Quality72/100
HCA Healthcare
HCA · USD · Health Care
+33%
upside to fair value
undervalued
Price$412
Fair Value$548
Quality70/100
Head-to-head numbers
Green value = the better side for that row (for valuation multiples: lower = cheaper).
National HealthCareHCA Healthcare
Valuation
26.7×P/E (TTM)14.3×
2.15×P/S (TTM)1.06×
3.07×P/B—
18.3×EV/EBITDA7.8×
0.82×PEG1.18×
1.2%Dividend yield0.8%
$2.56Dividend per share$2.94
Profitability
8%Net margin9%
8%Operating margin15%
12%Return on equity136%
5%Return on assets12%
Growth
2%Revenue growth (YoY)4%
12.0%Avg. growth/yr (3Y)7.9%
9.0%Avg. growth/yr (5Y)8.0%
Balance & size
0.03×Debt / equity—
$3BMarket cap$81B
healthyGrowth qualityhealthy
HCA Healthcare leads: 4 to 8 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.
National HealthCareof which business quality 73 · market factors 84HCA Healthcareof which business quality 66 · market factors 40
ProfitabilityMargins and returns on capital today
63
76
Quality GrowthAre margins and returns improving?
77
61
CashflowEarnings quality: real cash, not paper profit
InvestmentDisciplined investing over empire-building
77
75
Low VolatilityCalm price path (market factor)
74
59
MomentumPrice trend over the last 3–12 months (market factor)
81
29
52W MomentumDistance to the 52-week high (market factor)
100
39
Net IssuanceBuybacks instead of dilution
78
100
What the models say
The median fair value (base case) per model family, each in the currency of its trading venue. Green = above the current price, red = below.
National HealthCare
DCF Models$154
Earnings-Based$57.14
Dividend Discount$38.35
Multiples$146
Asset-Based$45.84
Growth DCF$142
Economic Profit$73.51
Growth Earnings$142
26 of 26 models see the stock below the current price.
HCA Healthcare
DCF Models$546
Earnings-Based$289
Dividend Discount$53.85
Multiples$673
Growth DCF$540
Economic Profit$419
Growth Earnings$506
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.
National HealthCare
Bear $112Fair Value $158Bull $197
$220 = current price (white tick)
HCA Healthcare
Bear $260Fair Value $548Bull $841
$412 = 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.
National HealthCare · Health Care
Quality score72 · Top 25%
Fair value upside-28% · above median
HCA Healthcare · Health Care
Quality score70 · Top 25%
Fair value upside+33% · Top 25%
Bottom line
As of Aug 14, 2026, Fair Value Calculator sees HCA Healthcare as the more attractively valued of the two: National HealthCare trades at $220 versus a fair value of $158 (-28%), while HCA Healthcare trades at $412 versus $548 (+33%).
National HealthCare has the higher quality score (72/100).
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A model-based valuation snapshot from 21 models. Values change with price and fundamentals; the date shown above applies.
