Chemed currently trades at $601.30 per share and has shown little upside over the past six months, posting a middling return of 2.7%. However, the stock is beating the S&P 500’s 3.3% decline during that period.
Is there a buying opportunity in Chemed, or does it present a risk to your portfolio? See what our analysts have to say in our full research report, it’s free.
Despite the relative momentum, we're swiping left on Chemed for now. Here are three reasons why there are better opportunities than CHE and a stock we'd rather own.
Why Is Chemed Not Exciting?
With a unique business model combining end-of-life care and household services, Chemed (NYSE: CHE) operates two distinct businesses: VITAS, which provides hospice care for terminally ill patients, and Roto-Rooter, which offers plumbing and water restoration services.
1. Long-Term Revenue Growth Disappoints
A company’s long-term sales performance can indicate its overall quality. Any business can put up a good quarter or two, but the best consistently grow over the long haul. Regrettably, Chemed’s sales grew at a mediocre 4.6% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years. This fell short of our benchmark for the healthcare sector. 
2. Free Cash Flow Margin Dropping
Free cash flow isn't a prominently featured metric in company financials and earnings releases, but we think it's telling because it accounts for all operating and capital expenses, making it tough to manipulate. Cash is king.
As you can see below, Chemed’s margin dropped by 5.6 percentage points over the last five years. It may have ticked higher more recently, but shareholders are likely hoping for its margin to at least revert to its historical level. If the longer-term trend returns, it could signal increasing investment needs and capital intensity. Chemed’s free cash flow margin for the trailing 12 months was 15.1%.
3. New Investments Fail to Bear Fruit as ROIC Declines
ROIC, or return on invested capital, is a metric showing how much operating profit a company generates relative to the money it has raised (debt and equity).
We like to invest in businesses with high returns, but the trend in a company’s ROIC is what often surprises the market and moves the stock price. Unfortunately, Chemed’s ROIC has decreased over the last few years. We like what management has done in the past, but its declining returns are perhaps a symptom of fewer profitable growth opportunities.
Final Judgment
Chemed isn’t a terrible business, but it isn’t one of our picks. Following its recent outperformance in a weaker market environment, the stock trades at 24.8× forward price-to-earnings (or $601.30 per share). This valuation tells us it’s a bit of a market darling with a lot of good news priced in - we think there are better stocks to buy right now. We’d suggest looking at one of our all-time favorite software stocks.
Stocks We Would Buy Instead of Chemed
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