Head-To-Head Analysis: Auna (NYSE:AUNA) & Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS)
by Michael Walen · The Markets DailyUniversal Health Services (NYSE:UHS – Get Free Report) and Auna (NYSE:AUNA – Get Free Report) are both healthcare companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, profitability and dividends.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
86.0% of Universal Health Services shares are owned by institutional investors. 17.1% of Universal Health Services shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Universal Health Services and Auna”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Universal Health Services | $17.36 billion | 0.63 | $1.49 billion | $24.55 | 7.61 |
| Auna | $1.23 billion | 0.31 | $27.39 million | $0.07 | 73.64 |
Universal Health Services has higher revenue and earnings than Auna. Universal Health Services is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Auna, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Profitability
This table compares Universal Health Services and Auna’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Universal Health Services | 8.42% | 19.39% | 9.21% |
| Auna | 0.44% | 12.88% | 3.24% |
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Universal Health Services and Auna, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Universal Health Services | 0 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 2.33 |
| Auna | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2.40 |
Universal Health Services presently has a consensus target price of $204.94, indicating a potential upside of 9.66%. Auna has a consensus target price of $6.97, indicating a potential upside of 35.14%. Given Auna’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Auna is more favorable than Universal Health Services.
Risk & Volatility
Universal Health Services has a beta of 1.03, indicating that its share price is 3% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Auna has a beta of 0.62, indicating that its share price is 38% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
Universal Health Services beats Auna on 11 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Universal Health Services
Universal Health Services, Inc., through its subsidiaries, owns and operates acute care hospitals, and outpatient and behavioral health care facilities. It operates through Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments. The company's hospitals offer general and specialty surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic and coronary care, pediatric services, pharmacy services, and/or behavioral health services. It also provides commercial health insurance services; and various management services, which include central purchasing, information, finance and control systems, facilities planning, physician recruitment, administrative personnel management, marketing, and public relations services. Universal Health Services, Inc. founded in 1978 and is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
About Auna
Auna S.A., a healthcare service provider, operates hospitals and clinics in Mexico, Peru, and Colombia. The company provides prepaid healthcare plans in Peru; and dental and vision plans in Mexico. The company was founded in 1989 and is based in Luxembourg, Luxembourg.