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Side-by-side financial comparison of HCA Healthcare (HCA) and Lowe's (LOW). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Lowe's is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($20.8B vs $19.1B, roughly 1.1× HCA Healthcare). HCA Healthcare runs the higher net margin — 9.7% vs 7.8%, a 2.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, HCA Healthcare posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.3% vs 3.2%). Over the past eight quarters, HCA Healthcare's revenue compounded faster (4.5% CAGR vs -8.7%).

HCA Healthcare, Inc. is an American global for-profit operator of health care facilities that was founded in 1968. It is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and, as of May 2020, owned and operated 186 hospitals and approximately 2,400 sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding emergency rooms, urgent care centers and physician clinics in 20 states and the United Kingdom.

Lowe's Companies, Inc. is an American retail company specializing in home improvement. Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, the company operates a chain of retail stores in the United States. As of October 28, 2022, Lowe's and its related businesses operated 2,181 home improvement and hardware stores in North America.

HCA vs LOW — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LOW
LOW
1.1× larger
LOW
$20.8B
$19.1B
HCA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
HCA
HCA
+1.1% gap
HCA
4.3%
3.2%
LOW
Higher net margin
HCA
HCA
2.0% more per $
HCA
9.7%
7.8%
LOW
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
HCA
HCA
Annualised
HCA
4.5%
-8.7%
LOW

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Revenue
$19.1B
$20.8B
Net Profit
$1.9B
$1.6B
Gross Margin
34.2%
Operating Margin
11.9%
Net Margin
9.7%
7.8%
Revenue YoY
4.3%
3.2%
Net Profit YoY
1.8%
-4.7%
EPS (diluted)
$7.15
$2.88

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
$19.1B
Q4 25
$19.5B
$20.8B
Q3 25
$19.2B
Q2 25
$18.6B
$20.9B
Q1 25
$18.3B
Q4 24
$18.3B
$20.2B
Q3 24
$17.5B
$23.6B
Q2 24
$17.5B
$21.4B
Net Profit
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
$1.9B
Q4 25
$1.9B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$1.6B
Q2 25
$1.7B
$1.6B
Q1 25
$1.6B
Q4 24
$1.4B
$1.7B
Q3 24
$1.3B
$2.4B
Q2 24
$1.5B
$1.8B
Gross Margin
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
Q4 25
34.2%
Q3 25
Q2 25
33.4%
Q1 25
Q4 24
33.7%
Q3 24
33.5%
Q2 24
33.2%
Operating Margin
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
Q4 25
13.7%
11.9%
Q3 25
12.6%
Q2 25
13.0%
11.9%
Q1 25
12.7%
Q4 24
11.7%
12.6%
Q3 24
10.9%
14.6%
Q2 24
12.8%
12.4%
Net Margin
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
9.7%
Q4 25
9.6%
7.8%
Q3 25
8.6%
Q2 25
8.9%
7.8%
Q1 25
8.8%
Q4 24
7.9%
8.4%
Q3 24
7.3%
10.1%
Q2 24
8.4%
8.2%
EPS (diluted)
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
$7.15
Q4 25
$8.09
$2.88
Q3 25
$6.96
Q2 25
$6.83
$2.92
Q1 25
$6.45
Q4 24
$5.66
$2.99
Q3 24
$4.88
$4.17
Q2 24
$5.53
$3.06

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$940.0M
$1.0B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$37.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$-10.4B
Total Assets
$19.3B
$53.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
$940.0M
Q4 25
$1.0B
$1.0B
Q3 25
$997.0M
Q2 25
$939.0M
$3.4B
Q1 25
$1.1B
Q4 24
$1.9B
$3.6B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$4.7B
Q2 24
$831.0M
$3.5B
Total Debt
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
Q4 25
$44.3B
$37.5B
Q3 25
$42.6B
Q2 25
$42.7B
$30.5B
Q1 25
$44.6B
Q4 24
$43.0B
$32.9B
Q3 24
$43.0B
$34.7B
Q2 24
$40.9B
$34.6B
Stockholders' Equity
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-6.0B
$-10.4B
Q3 25
$-5.3B
Q2 25
$-4.4B
$-13.3B
Q1 25
$-3.5B
Q4 24
$-2.5B
$-13.4B
Q3 24
$-2.2B
$-13.8B
Q2 24
$-1.6B
$-14.6B
Total Assets
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
$19.3B
Q4 25
$60.7B
$53.5B
Q3 25
$59.7B
Q2 25
$59.5B
$45.4B
Q1 25
$59.8B
Q4 24
$59.5B
$44.7B
Q3 24
$59.5B
$44.9B
Q2 24
$57.4B
$45.4B

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$2.0B
$687.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$90.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
0.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.08×
0.43×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$6.4B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
$2.0B
Q4 25
$2.4B
$687.0M
Q3 25
$4.4B
Q2 25
$4.2B
$3.4B
Q1 25
$1.7B
Q4 24
$2.6B
$1.3B
Q3 24
$3.5B
$3.2B
Q2 24
$2.0B
$4.3B
Free Cash Flow
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
Q4 25
$870.0M
$90.0M
Q3 25
$3.1B
Q2 25
$3.0B
$2.9B
Q1 25
$660.0M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$728.0M
Q3 24
$2.3B
$2.7B
Q2 24
$690.0M
$3.9B
FCF Margin
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
Q4 25
4.5%
0.4%
Q3 25
16.3%
Q2 25
16.3%
13.7%
Q1 25
3.6%
Q4 24
7.0%
3.6%
Q3 24
13.3%
11.6%
Q2 24
3.9%
18.2%
Capex Intensity
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
Q4 25
7.6%
2.9%
Q3 25
6.7%
Q2 25
6.3%
2.5%
Q1 25
5.4%
Q4 24
7.0%
2.8%
Q3 24
6.8%
1.8%
Q2 24
7.3%
1.8%
Cash Conversion
HCA
HCA
LOW
LOW
Q1 26
1.08×
Q4 25
1.26×
0.43×
Q3 25
2.69×
Q2 25
2.55×
2.06×
Q1 25
1.03×
Q4 24
1.78×
0.77×
Q3 24
2.77×
1.32×
Q2 24
1.35×
2.43×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HCA
HCA

Segment breakdown not available.

LOW
LOW

Home Decor$7.8B37%
Building Products$6.9B33%
Hardlines$5.1B25%
Services$753.0M4%
Other$384.0M2%

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