UHS vs. HCA

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

UHS (Universal Health Services, Inc.) and HCA (HCA Healthcare, Inc.) are both stocks. Both operate in the Medical Care Facilities industry within the Healthcare sector. Over the past 10 years, UHS returned 1.18%/yr vs 17.50%/yr for HCA. A 0.71 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

UHS vs. HCA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) and HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UHS achieves a -32.98% return, which is significantly lower than HCA's -22.08% return. Over the past 10 years, UHS has underperformed HCA with an annualized return of 1.18%, while HCA has yielded a comparatively higher 17.50% annualized return.

UHS

• 1D: 2.41%
• 1M: -12.10%
• YTD: -32.98%
• 6M: -36.51%
• 1Y: -22.46%
• 3Y*: 2.94%
• 5Y*: -1.31%
• 10Y*: 1.18%

HCA

• 1D: -1.12%
• 1M: -14.97%
• YTD: -22.08%
• 6M: -25.16%
• 1Y: -4.54%
• 3Y*: 10.68%
• 5Y*: 12.13%
• 10Y*: 17.50%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

UHS vs. HCA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
UHS Universal Health Services, Inc.	-32.98%	22.02%	18.19%	8.83%	9.37%	-5.16%	-4.00%	23.62%	3.16%	6.93%
HCA HCA Healthcare, Inc.	-22.08%	56.71%	11.75%	13.83%	-5.64%	57.58%	12.07%	20.24%	43.37%	18.67%

Correlation

The correlation between UHS and HCA is 0.65, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.65
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.71
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.73
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.73
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 11, 2011	0.71

The correlation between UHS and HCA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.65 to 0.73 - a consistent structural relationship.

Fundamentals

EPS UHS : $31.29 HCA : $28.46
PE Ratio UHS : 4.67 HCA : 12.76
PEG Ratio UHS : 0.20 HCA : 1.52
PS Ratio UHS : 0.40 HCA : 1.15
Total Revenue (TTM) UHS : $17.76B HCA : $75.60B
Gross Profit (TTM) UHS : $12.01B HCA : $31.37B
EBITDA (TTM) UHS : $2.79B HCA : $15.60B

Return for Risk

UHS vs. HCA — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

UHS

UHS Risk / Return Rank: 13
UHS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
UHS Sortino Ratio Rank: 14
UHS Omega Ratio Rank: 13
UHS Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
UHS Martin Ratio Rank: 8

HCA

HCA Risk / Return Rank: 32
HCA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
HCA Sortino Ratio Rank: 28
HCA Omega Ratio Rank: 28
HCA Calmar Ratio Rank: 36
HCA Martin Ratio Rank: 32

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

UHS vs. HCA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) and HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	UHS	HCA	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.71	-0.17	-0.54
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.82	-0.05	-0.77
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.89	0.99	-0.10
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.54	-0.14	-0.41
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-1.40	-0.46	-0.94
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

UHS vs. HCA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UHS Sharpe Ratio is -0.71, which is lower than the HCA Sharpe Ratio of -0.17. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UHS and HCA, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	UHS	HCA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.71	-0.17	-0.54
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.04	0.41	-0.45
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.03	0.54	-0.50
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.44	0.60	-0.16

Drawdowns

UHS vs. HCA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UHS drawdown since its inception was -60.27%, which is greater than HCA's maximum drawdown of -54.74%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UHS and HCA.

Drawdown Indicators

	UHS	HCA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.27%	-54.74%	-5.53%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-41.52%	-33.27%	-8.25%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-41.52%	-33.27%	-8.25%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-44.90%	-39.49%	-5.41%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-56.30%	-54.74%	-1.56%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-40.11%	-33.27%	-6.84%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.79%	-11.01%	-3.78%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	16.10%	9.85%	+6.25%

Volatility

UHS vs. HCA - Volatility Comparison

Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) and HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) have volatilities of 6.64% and 6.36%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UHS	HCA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.64%	6.36%	+0.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	25.08%	21.12%	+3.96%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	31.88%	26.90%	+4.98%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	31.77%	29.80%	+1.97%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	34.36%	32.60%	+1.76%

Dividends

UHS vs. HCA - Dividend Comparison

UHS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.41%, less than HCA's 0.81% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HCA HCA Healthcare, Inc.	0.81%	0.62%	0.88%	0.89%	0.93%	0.75%	0.63%	1.08%	1.12%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
UHS Universal Health Services, Inc.	0.41%	0.37%	0.45%	0.52%	0.57%	0.62%	0.15%	0.42%	0.34%	0.35%	0.38%	0.33%

Financials

UHS vs. HCA - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Universal Health Services, Inc. and HCA Healthcare, Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

UHS - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Universal Health Services, Inc. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 4.50B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.

HCA - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, HCA Healthcare, Inc. reported a gross profit of 8.18B and revenue of 19.51B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 41.9%.

UHS - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Universal Health Services, Inc. reported an operating income of 502.86M and revenue of 4.50B, resulting in an operating margin of 11.2%.

HCA - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, HCA Healthcare, Inc. reported an operating income of 3.18B and revenue of 19.51B, resulting in an operating margin of 16.3%.

UHS - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Universal Health Services, Inc. reported a net income of 348.68M and revenue of 4.50B, resulting in a net margin of 7.8%.

HCA - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, HCA Healthcare, Inc. reported a net income of 1.88B and revenue of 19.51B, resulting in a net margin of 9.6%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UHS and HCA in my portfolio?

UHS and HCA have a correlation of 0.65, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UHS or HCA?

UHS has higher volatility (6.64%) compared to HCA (6.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UHS dropped -60.27% vs HCA's -54.74%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

HCA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.17 vs -0.71), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.