HCA Health Inc vs Wendys Co — how do they compare? HCA Health Inc trades at $448.85 (market cap $96.35B), while Wendys Co trades at $6.16 (market cap $1.19B). The key difference: HCA Health Inc is far larger — about 81× Wendys Co's market cap, and Wendys Co pays the higher dividend (4.49%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold HCA Health Inc for 76 Days and Wendys Co for 77 Days on average.
| HCA | WEN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $96.35B | $1.19B |
Volume | 1,079,453 | 5,622,905 |
Sector | Health | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $545.13 | $9.33 |
52-Week Low | $361.32 | $6.10 |
Typical Hold Time | 76 Days | 77 Days |
Enterprise Value | $146.88B | $4.92B |
Dividend Yield | 0.7% | 4.49% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HCA Healthcare trades at $449.47, up 2.35% with bullish technical indicators and strong fundamental performance. The stock shows consistent earnings beats with Q2 2026 EPS of $7.59 exceeding expectations, while revenue growth continues from $75.6B in 2025 to projected $78.0B in 2026. Analyst consensus remains strongly positive with 63% buy ratings and $461.12 price target, though legal investigations present headwinds.
The outlook remains favorable with solid patient demand and operational efficiency driving growth, though investors should monitor ongoing legal investigations and debt levels. Valuation appears reasonable with P/E of 14.92 and EV/EBITDA of 9.26, while technical support at $440 provides near-term stability.
Wendy's (WEN) trades at $6.16, down 71% over five years, with a bearish technical signal and recent price near multi-year lows. The company faces declining same-store sales, a major franchisee bankruptcy (Meritage Hospitality, September 2026), and net income margin compression from 7.58% in 2025 to 5.72% in 2026. Valuation appears low with a P/E of 9.45 and P/S of 0.54, but high debt and operational challenges weigh on sentiment. Recent earnings beats provide some positive momentum, but competitive pressures persist.
The outlook remains cautious due to franchisee instability and sales declines. Investment opportunity lies in potential turnaround under new CEO Bob Wright and cheap valuation, but risks include further store closures, debt burden, and intense burger chain competition. Analyst consensus is mixed with a $7.58 price target, but 65% hold ratings reflect uncertainty.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the U.S. As of December 2021, the firm owned and operated 182 hospitals, 125 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, and a broad network of physician offices, urgent care clinics, and freestanding emergency rooms across nearly 20 states and a small foothold in England.
Read more on HCA →The Wendy's Company is the second-largest burger quick-service restaurant, or QSR, chain in the United States by systemwide sales, with $11.1 billion in 2021, narrowly edging Burger King ($10.3 billion) and clocking in well behind wide-moat McDonald's ($45.7 billion). After divestitures of Tim Hortons (2006) and Arby's (2011), the firm manages just the burger banner, generating sales across a footprint that spans almost 7,000 total units in 30 countries. Wendy's generates revenue from the sale of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and fries throughout its company-owned footprint, through franchise royalty and marketing fund payments remitted by its franchisees, which account for 94% of stores, and through franchise flipping and advisory fees.
Read more on WEN →