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Side-by-side financial comparison of NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CORP (NHC) and UNIFIRST CORP (UNF). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

UNIFIRST CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($621.3M vs $386.5M, roughly 1.6× NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CORP). NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CORP runs the higher net margin — 6.4% vs 5.5%, a 0.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.6% vs 2.7%). NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CORP produced more free cash flow last quarter ($6.4M vs $-24.0M). Over the past eight quarters, NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CORP's revenue compounded faster (14.0% CAGR vs 2.3%).

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. As of 2024, HCA Healthcare is ranked #61 on the Fortune 500 rankings of the largest United States corporations by to...

UniFirst Corporation is a uniform rental company based in Wilmington, Massachusetts, United States, that manufactures, sells, and rents uniforms and protective clothing. UniFirst employs more than 14,000 people and has over 260 facilities in the United States, Canada, and Europe, including customer service centers, nuclear decontamination facilities, cleanroom locations, distribution centers, and manufacturing plants.

NHC vs UNF — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
UNF
UNF
1.6× larger
UNF
$621.3M
$386.5M
NHC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NHC
NHC
+1.9% gap
NHC
4.6%
2.7%
UNF
Higher net margin
NHC
NHC
0.9% more per $
NHC
6.4%
5.5%
UNF
More free cash flow
NHC
NHC
$30.4M more FCF
NHC
$6.4M
$-24.0M
UNF
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NHC
NHC
Annualised
NHC
14.0%
2.3%
UNF

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Revenue
$386.5M
$621.3M
Net Profit
$24.8M
$34.4M
Gross Margin
36.7%
Operating Margin
8.6%
7.3%
Net Margin
6.4%
5.5%
Revenue YoY
4.6%
2.7%
Net Profit YoY
308.6%
-20.3%
EPS (diluted)
$1.58
$1.89

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
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
$386.5M
$621.3M
Q3 25
$382.7M
$614.4M
Q2 25
$374.9M
$610.8M
Q1 25
$373.7M
Q4 24
$369.4M
$604.9M
Q3 24
$340.2M
$639.9M
Q2 24
$300.7M
$603.3M
Q1 24
$297.2M
$590.7M
Net Profit
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
$24.8M
$34.4M
Q3 25
$39.2M
$41.0M
Q2 25
$23.7M
$39.7M
Q1 25
$32.2M
Q4 24
$6.1M
$43.1M
Q3 24
$42.8M
$44.6M
Q2 24
$26.8M
$38.1M
Q1 24
$26.2M
$20.5M
Gross Margin
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
36.7%
Q3 25
37.8%
Q2 25
36.9%
Q1 25
Q4 24
37.0%
Q3 24
36.1%
Q2 24
35.2%
Q1 24
32.9%
Operating Margin
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
8.6%
7.3%
Q3 25
7.9%
8.1%
Q2 25
9.1%
7.9%
Q1 25
8.2%
Q4 24
7.8%
9.2%
Q3 24
6.7%
8.4%
Q2 24
7.5%
8.0%
Q1 24
5.3%
4.7%
Net Margin
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
6.4%
5.5%
Q3 25
10.3%
6.7%
Q2 25
6.3%
6.5%
Q1 25
8.6%
Q4 24
1.6%
7.1%
Q3 24
12.6%
7.0%
Q2 24
8.9%
6.3%
Q1 24
8.8%
3.5%
EPS (diluted)
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
$1.58
$1.89
Q3 25
$2.50
$2.23
Q2 25
$1.52
$2.13
Q1 25
$2.07
Q4 24
$0.38
$2.31
Q3 24
$2.73
$2.39
Q2 24
$1.73
$2.03
Q1 24
$1.69
$1.09

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$92.8M
$129.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$40.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.1B
$2.2B
Total Assets
$1.5B
$2.8B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.04×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
$92.8M
$129.5M
Q3 25
$130.6M
$209.2M
Q2 25
$111.0M
$211.9M
Q1 25
$90.4M
Q4 24
$76.1M
$181.0M
Q3 24
$84.8M
$175.1M
Q2 24
$136.2M
$125.4M
Q1 24
$94.0M
$101.9M
Total Debt
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
$40.0M
Q3 25
$73.1M
Q2 25
$110.0M
Q1 25
$134.0M
Q4 24
$137.0M
Q3 24
$147.0M
Q2 24
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
$1.1B
$2.2B
Q3 25
$1.1B
$2.2B
Q2 25
$1.0B
$2.2B
Q1 25
$1.0B
Q4 24
$980.2M
$2.1B
Q3 24
$983.5M
$2.1B
Q2 24
$945.8M
$2.1B
Q1 24
$924.7M
$2.0B
Total Assets
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
$1.5B
$2.8B
Q3 25
$1.6B
$2.8B
Q2 25
$1.6B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$1.5B
Q4 24
$1.5B
$2.7B
Q3 24
$1.6B
$2.7B
Q2 24
$1.3B
$2.7B
Q1 24
$1.3B
$2.6B
Debt / Equity
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
0.04×
Q3 25
0.07×
Q2 25
0.11×
Q1 25
0.13×
Q4 24
0.14×
Q3 24
0.15×
Q2 24
Q1 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$16.8M
$14.9M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$6.4M
$-24.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
1.7%
-3.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.7%
6.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.68×
0.43×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$148.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
$16.8M
$14.9M
Q3 25
$66.2M
Q2 25
$62.8M
$138.4M
Q1 25
$39.3M
Q4 24
$12.8M
$58.1M
Q3 24
$34.2M
$102.3M
Q2 24
$50.7M
$86.3M
Q1 24
$9.6M
$61.1M
Free Cash Flow
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
$6.4M
$-24.0M
Q3 25
$56.5M
Q2 25
$52.6M
$62.1M
Q1 25
$33.1M
Q4 24
$4.6M
$24.6M
Q3 24
$28.6M
$63.8M
Q2 24
$42.8M
$37.3M
Q1 24
$3.7M
$27.2M
FCF Margin
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
1.7%
-3.9%
Q3 25
14.8%
Q2 25
14.0%
10.2%
Q1 25
8.9%
Q4 24
1.3%
4.1%
Q3 24
8.4%
10.0%
Q2 24
14.2%
6.2%
Q1 24
1.2%
4.6%
Capex Intensity
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
2.7%
6.3%
Q3 25
2.5%
Q2 25
2.7%
12.5%
Q1 25
1.6%
Q4 24
2.2%
5.5%
Q3 24
1.7%
6.0%
Q2 24
2.6%
8.1%
Q1 24
2.0%
5.7%
Cash Conversion
NHC
NHC
UNF
UNF
Q4 25
0.68×
0.43×
Q3 25
1.69×
Q2 25
2.65×
3.49×
Q1 25
1.22×
Q4 24
2.10×
1.35×
Q3 24
0.80×
2.29×
Q2 24
1.89×
2.27×
Q1 24
0.37×
2.98×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

NHC
NHC

Inpatient Services Segment$333.7M86%
Homecare Services Segment$40.0M10%
Other$11.2M3%
National$1.6M0%

UNF
UNF

Uniforms And Facility Service Solutions$568.8M92%
First Aid And Safety Solutions$30.8M5%
Other$22.9M4%
Served As An Senior Officer$400.0K0%

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