Latest Ratios: P/E Ratio 28.3x · EV/EBITDA 17.9x · ROE 11.7%. (1996–2025 historical series)
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $3.4B | $2.1B | $1.7B | $1.4B | $919M | $1.0B | $1.0B | $1.3B | $1.2B | $927M | $1.2B |
| Enterprise Value | $3.4B | $2.1B | $1.8B | $1.4B | $986M | $1.1B | $1.1B | $1.5B | $1.1B | $856M | $1.3B |
| P/E Ratio → | 28.35 | 17.87 | 16.47 | 21.29 | 41.03 | 7.56 | 24.42 | 19.47 | 20.27 | 16.51 | 22.83 |
| P/S Ratio | 2.25 | 1.42 | 1.29 | 1.24 | 0.86 | 1.04 | 1.04 | 1.33 | 1.22 | 0.96 | 1.25 |
| P/B Ratio | 3.17 | 2.00 | 1.71 | 1.56 | 1.05 | 1.15 | 1.28 | 1.70 | 1.63 | 1.32 | 1.83 |
| P/FCF | 22.85 | 14.43 | 21.05 | 17.06 | — | 45.55 | 5.63 | 18.01 | 17.41 | 14.93 | 40.75 |
| P/OCF | 18.35 | 11.59 | 15.64 | 12.78 | 105.14 | 16.79 | 5.02 | 13.26 | 12.14 | 9.82 | 12.68 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.23 | 0.92 | 1.09 | 1.09 | 1.51 | 1.11 | 0.89 | 1.38 |
| EV / EBITDA | 17.90 | 11.26 | 14.22 | 14.19 | 13.63 | 12.08 | 11.84 | 16.50 | 11.12 | 8.85 | 12.82 |
| EV / EBIT | 23.51 | 12.57 | 12.92 | 15.80 | 35.49 | 7.33 | 19.84 | 16.56 | 13.70 | 10.78 | 15.17 |
| EV / FCF | — | 14.27 | 22.79 | 16.89 | — | 48.12 | 5.89 | 20.48 | 15.87 | 13.78 | 45.13 |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 67.8% | 67.8% | 37.5% | 37.6% | 36.1% | 34.1% | 37.9% | 40.5% | 40.6% | 40.7% | 40.7% |
| Operating Margin | 9.5% | 9.5% | 6.6% | 5.0% | 3.0% | 5.0% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 6.6% |
| Net Profit Margin | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 5.9% | 2.1% | 13.7% | 4.3% | 6.8% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.5% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 11.7% | 11.7% | 10.8% | 7.5% | 2.5% | 16.2% | 5.3% | 9.0% | 8.2% | 8.4% | 8.0% |
| ROA | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.2% | 5.2% | 1.7% | 10.0% | 3.2% | 5.8% | 5.4% | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| ROIC | 9.9% | 9.9% | 6.4% | 4.7% | 2.5% | 4.2% | 4.0% | 4.6% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 6.1% |
| ROCE | 11.2% | 11.2% | 7.2% | 5.3% | 2.9% | 4.6% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 6.6% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.22 | 0.10 | 0.14 | 0.18 | 0.24 | 0.30 | 0.11 | 0.18 | 0.24 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 0.46 | 0.46 | 1.68 | 0.94 | 1.74 | 1.82 | 2.15 | 2.54 | 0.80 | 1.31 | 1.51 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | -0.02 | 0.14 | -0.02 | 0.08 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.23 | -0.14 | -0.10 | 0.20 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -0.13 | -0.13 | 1.09 | -0.14 | 0.93 | 0.64 | 0.52 | 1.99 | -1.08 | -0.74 | 1.24 |
| Debt / FCF | — | -0.16 | 1.74 | -0.16 | — | 2.57 | 0.26 | 2.47 | -1.54 | -1.15 | 4.38 |
| Interest Coverage | 26.50 | 26.50 | 33.99 | 274.88 | 49.37 | 178.56 | 38.47 | 29.07 | 16.94 | 16.25 | 21.35 |
Net cash position: cash ($111M) exceeds total debt ($87M)
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 1.77 | 1.77 | 1.81 | 1.89 | 1.79 | 1.62 | 1.62 | 1.75 | 2.04 | 2.12 | 1.93 |
| Quick Ratio | 1.77 | 1.77 | 1.77 | 1.86 | 1.75 | 1.59 | 1.59 | 1.71 | 1.99 | 2.08 | 1.88 |
| Cash Ratio | 1.22 | 1.22 | 0.92 | 1.04 | 0.92 | 0.97 | 1.15 | 1.04 | 1.16 | 1.28 | 1.26 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 0.99 | 0.85 | 0.87 | 0.84 | 0.72 | 0.72 | 0.77 | 0.91 | 0.88 | 0.85 |
| Inventory Turnover | — | — | 89.71 | 96.45 | 96.81 | 77.61 | 69.39 | 79.67 | 78.01 | 79.97 | 72.99 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 33.59 | 38.20 | 34.87 | 34.07 | 34.87 | 33.37 | 33.45 | 36.70 | 35.47 | 31.91 |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 1.1% | 1.8% | 2.2% | 2.5% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 2.2% |
| Payout Ratio | 32.2% | 32.2% | 36.3% | 53.2% | 154.2% | 23.1% | 76.2% | 45.8% | 50.6% | 50.2% | 51.0% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 3.5% | 5.6% | 6.1% | 4.7% | 2.4% | 13.2% | 4.1% | 5.1% | 4.9% | 6.1% | 4.4% |
| FCF Yield | 4.4% | 6.9% | 4.8% | 5.9% | — | 2.2% | 17.8% | 5.6% | 5.7% | 6.7% | 2.5% |
| Buyback Yield | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.2% | 1.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 1.6% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 2.7% | 4.8% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 2.4% | 2.6% | 3.0% | 2.9% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $16M | $16M | $15M | $15M | $15M | $15M | $15M | $15M | $15M | $15M |
Labor cost inflation volatility
According to recent market data, NHC trades at a P/E of 26.93, which appears to command a premium over peers like Encompass Health, likely due to the company's unique real estate ownership model rather than its current earnings growth trajectory or operational margin performance.
The valuation multiples suggest that investors are pricing NHC as a hybrid real estate and healthcare entity, potentially overlooking the volatility in core operating margins. The forward P/E of 25.91 implies an expectation of earnings stabilization, yet this remains contingent on the company's ability to navigate rising labor costs and regulatory pressures.
Based on reported financial statements, NHC's ROIC has experienced significant instability, dropping to -7.5% in 2026Q1 from a positive 2.4% in 2025Q4, which indicates that the company is currently struggling to generate efficient returns on its invested capital base amidst recent operational headwinds.
The sharp decline in ROIC suggests that the capital-intensive nature of the business is currently failing to produce adequate returns, likely exacerbated by the recent negative operating margins. Investors should monitor whether this is a temporary anomaly related to accounting shifts or a structural decay in the company's ability to deploy capital effectively.
As reported in recent filings, NHC's asset turnover has remained stagnant at 0.25, suggesting that the company's ability to generate revenue from its asset base is not improving, despite the recent expansion into higher-acuity behavioral health services and specialized care facilities.
The lack of improvement in asset turnover highlights the difficulty of scaling a high-fixed-cost model in a labor-constrained environment. While DSO remains relatively stable in the low-30s, the overall efficiency metrics suggest that the company's operational leverage is currently insufficient to offset the rising costs of clinical staffing.
Based on NHC's reported figures, the company maintains a negligible debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, which provides a significant competitive advantage in the current interest rate environment compared to more leveraged peers who face higher refinancing risks and interest coverage constraints.
This minimal leverage profile is a structural differentiator that allows NHC to weather operational volatility without the threat of insolvency. However, the company's conservative capital structure may also indicate a missed opportunity to leverage its balance sheet for more aggressive expansion during periods of industry consolidation.
As indicated by industry analysis, the EV/EBITDA ratio is frequently misapplied to NHC, as it fails to account for the company's significant owned real estate, which distinguishes it from asset-light operators that carry heavy lease obligations and higher rent-related expenses.
Using standard EV/EBITDA multiples to compare NHC against peers like The Ensign Group obscures the true economic earnings power, as NHC's EBITDA is not burdened by the same lease structures. A more appropriate metric would involve adjusting for the replacement value of the real estate or utilizing a P/NAV approach to better reflect the underlying asset value.
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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Quick answers to the most common questions about buying NHC stock.
National HealthCare Corporation's current P/E ratio is 28.3x. The historical average is 21.5x. This places it at the 93th percentile of its historical range.
National HealthCare Corporation's current EV/EBITDA is 17.9x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 9.0x.
National HealthCare Corporation's return on equity (ROE) is 11.7%. The historical average is 11.6%.
Based on historical data, National HealthCare Corporation is trading at a P/E of 28.3x. This is at the 93th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
National HealthCare Corporation's current dividend yield is 1.14% with a payout ratio of 32.2%.
National HealthCare Corporation has 67.8% gross margin and 9.5% operating margin.
National HealthCare Corporation's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 0.5x, indicating low leverage. A ratio below 2x is generally considered financially healthy.