# National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) fundamentals

Data as of 2026-09-08. AMEX, United States. Sector: Healthcare / Health Care Equipment & Supplies. Price $218.64, market value $3.4 billion.

## Valuation
- **P/E (trailing): 24.6×** (5-yr avg 19.7×, 3-yr avg 18.0×). National HealthCare Corporation trades at 24.6× trailing earnings, well above its own five-year average of 19.7×: investors are paying up relative to the company's past. The Healthcare median in the September 2026 study was 28.5×. Forward P/E is 508.5×, higher than trailing, so analysts expect earnings to fall.
- **Price / sales: 2.2×**. Each dollar of revenue is priced at 2.2×.
- **Price / book: 3.1×**. The shares trade at 3.1× book value; book value is a meaningful part of the valuation.
- **EV / EBITDA: 17.7×**. Enterprise value is 17.7× operating earnings before depreciation, the multiple that ignores how the company is financed.
- **Free-cash-flow yield: 4.3%** (5-yr avg 3.6%). Free cash flow equals 4.3% of the market value, in line with its five-year average of 3.6%.
- **Earnings yield: 4.1%**. The inverse of the P/E: 4.1% of the price is earned each year.

## Profitability
- **Operating margin: 9.3%**. 9.3% of revenue is left after running the business.
- **Net margin: 7.9%**. 7.9% of each dollar of sales reaches the bottom line.
- **Return on equity: 11.2%**. 11.2% on shareholders' equity is solid.
- **Return on invested capital: 11.0%**. Return on all capital, debt included, is 11.0%.
- **Return on assets: 9.2%**. Each dollar of assets produces 9.2% of profit.

## Growth
- **Revenue growth (1 yr): 16.1%** (3-yr 11.8%/yr, 5-yr 8.1%/yr). Revenue grew 16.1% over the last year, against 8.1% a year compounded over five years: growth is accelerating.
- **EPS growth (1 yr): 17.5%** (3-yr 74.2%/yr, 5-yr 23.0%/yr). Earnings per share rose 17.5%, roughly in step with revenue.

## Financial health
- **Debt to equity: 0.04**. Debt is 0.04 times equity: a conservative balance sheet.
- **Net debt / EBITDA: net cash**. National HealthCare Corporation holds more cash than debt.
- **Interest coverage: 56.6×**. Operating profit covers interest 56.6× over, a safe margin.
- **Current ratio: 1.82** (quick 1.82). Current assets cover the next year's liabilities 1.82 times.
- **Altman Z-score: 6.96**. A Z-score of 6.96 places the company in the safe zone for bankruptcy risk.
- **Piotroski F-score: 7/9**. 7 of 9 fundamental checks pass: strong and improving financials.

## Dividends
- **Dividend yield: 1.23%** ($2.59 per share, trailing). National HealthCare Corporation yields 1.23%, a modest yield more typical of a growth-oriented payer.
- **Payout ratio: 32%** (27% of free cash flow). 32% of earnings goes out as dividends, leaving room to keep raising it.
- **Consecutive years of increases: 12**. 12 straight years of increases, a record that survived at least one recession.
- **Dividend growth (5 yr): 4.0%/yr** (1-yr 4.5%). The dividend has grown 4.0% a year over five years.

## Price and momentum
- **Total return (1 yr): 93.1%** (YTD 60.6%, 3-mo 14.2%). The shares are up 93.1% over twelve months including dividends.
- **From 52-week high: -8.6%** (94.5% above the low). Trading 9% below its 52-week high.
- **200-day average: above**. The price sits above its 200-day moving average, the usual definition of an uptrend.
- **RSI (14-day): 46**. An RSI of 46 is neutral.
- **Beta (1 yr): 0.37** (volatility 34%). Beta of 0.37 against the S&P 500: the shares move much less than the market.

Live score and charts: https://foliofundamentals.com/analyzer?s=NHC · Page: https://foliofundamentals.com/stocks/nhc

Not investment advice.