How Does ARDT Stock Compare With Its Peers Right Now?
Here is how Ardent Health (ARDT) stacks up against its peers in size, valuation, growth and margin.
- ARDT’s operating margin of 7.0% is modest, but lowest among peers; THC has 15.6%.
- ARDT’s revenue growth of 10.0% in the last 12 months is strong, outpacing FMS, ACHC, HCA, UHS, THC.
- ARDT’s stock is down 25.0% in last 1 year, and trades at a PE of 7.2; it underperformed FMS, HCA, UHS, THC.
As a quick background, Ardent Health is the fourth largest privately held, for-profit hospital operator and a leading provider of healthcare services in the United States.
| ARDT | FMS | ACHC | HCA | UHS | THC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 1.8 | 14.7 | 1.9 | 98.1 | 11.9 | 16.6 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 6.2 | 19.5 | 3.2 | 72.7 | 16.5 | 20.7 |
| PE Ratio | 7.2 | 22.4 | 13.8 | 16.4 | 9.4 | 11.2 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | 10.0% | 0.5% | 5.6% | 6.4% | 9.6% | -1.1% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 7.0% | 8.4% | 14.6% | 15.2% | 11.0% | 15.6% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 1.7% | 10.8% | -9.6% | 10.0% | 5.5% | 7.5% |
| 12M Market Return | -25.0% | 38.6% | -71.6% | 10.2% | -18.5% | 17.2% |
Why does this matter? ARDT just went up 23.9% in a month – peer comparison puts stock performance, valuation, and financials in context – highlighting whether it is truly outperforming, lagging behind, and above all – can this continue?
While peer comparison is critical Trefis High Quality Portfolio evaluates much more, and is designed to reduce stock-specific risks while giving upside exposure.
Revenue Growth Comparison
| LTM | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARDT | 10.0% | 10.3% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| FMS | 0.5% | -0.6% | 0.3% | 10.1% |
| ACHC | 5.6% | 7.7% | 12.2% | 12.8% |
| HCA | 6.4% | 8.7% | 7.9% | 2.5% |
| UHS | 9.6% | 10.8% | 6.6% | 6.0% |
| THC | -1.1% | 0.6% | 7.2% | -1.6% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARDT | 7.0% | 6.8% | 4.1% | 4.2% |
| FMS | 8.4% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 7.5% |
| ACHC | 14.6% | 16.6% | 17.5% | 17.9% |
| HCA | 15.2% | 14.9% | 14.8% | 15.0% |
| UHS | 11.0% | 10.6% | 8.2% | 7.5% |
| THC | 15.6% | 14.1% | 11.9% | 12.6% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARDT | 7.2 | 10.8 | � | � |
| FMS | 22.4 | 24.7 | 24.5 | 14.2 |
| ACHC | 13.8 | 14.2 | -326.4 | 27.0 |
| HCA | 16.4 | 13.5 | 14.1 | 12.3 |
| UHS | 9.4 | 10.5 | 14.7 | 15.2 |
| THC | 11.2 | 3.8 | 12.6 | 12.7 |
The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, with a collection of 30 stocks, has a track record of comfortably outperforming its benchmark that includes all 3 – the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000 indices. Why is that? As a group, HQ Portfolio stocks provided better returns with less risk versus the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster ride, as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.