Henry Schein is a leading distributor of medical, dental, and veterinary supplies and equipment.
It serves as a critical link in the healthcare supply chain, leveraging its vast global network to provide essential products and practice management software to healthcare professionals.
Updated: February 19, 2026, 16:00 EST
Based on a multi-faceted analysis of Henry Schein (HSIC), the picture is one of a stable but unexciting company.
From a technical perspective, the stock shows encouraging recovery momentum, having significantly outperformed the market over the last quarter while exhibiting lower volatility. It sits in a neutral position relative to its 52-week range, suggesting room for growth without being overbought. Fundamentally, the company demonstrates sequential revenue growth and improved net income, though operational efficiency and liquidity remain areas for improvement. The debt load is manageable, but weak cash flow metrics are a point of concern. Valuation appears fair, not signaling clear over- or undervaluation, but the lack of peer data makes a relative assessment difficult. Overall risk is moderate, with lower market volatility but a demonstrated potential for significant drawdowns.
Buy Recommendation:
HSIC presents a case for a cautious, moderate-risk investment. The stock's reasonable valuation, market-outperforming recovery momentum, and manageable debt profile are positive factors. However, these are tempered by operational inefficiencies and liquidity constraints, making it more suitable for investors seeking stable exposure rather than aggressive growth. For investors comfortable with its moderate risk profile and average growth prospects, HSIC could be a reasonable addition to a diversified portfolio.
*Note: This is not investment advice, for reference only.*
Based on a 12-month outlook, Henry Schein's (HSIC) trajectory appears steady but unlikely to deliver significant outperformance. Key positive catalysts include continued recovery momentum in its core dental and medical distribution businesses and its reasonable valuation, which could attract value-oriented investors. The primary risks are ongoing operational inefficiencies and weak cash flow generation, which may limit its ability to capitalize on growth opportunities or reward shareholders. Given the fair valuation and moderate growth profile, the stock is likely to trend with the broader market, with a target price range conservatively estimated in the low-to-mid $80s, reflecting modest single-digit upside from the current price.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about Henry Schein, Inc.'s 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $76.80, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, HSIC has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
HSIC has demonstrated moderate performance with notable recovery momentum over the recent quarter despite short-term weakness.
Over the past month, the stock has declined -1.11%, but has gained 5.45% over three months, significantly outperforming the market by 5.47% during that period. Its beta of 0.893 indicates slightly lower volatility than the broader market, making its relative outperformance particularly noteworthy.
Currently trading at $77.21, HSIC sits approximately 72% above its 52-week low but remains 7% below its 52-week high of $82.80. The stock appears to be in a neutral position relative to its yearly range, having recovered substantially from its maximum drawdown of -20.53% without reaching overbought territory near recent highs.
| Period | HSIC Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | -1.2% | +1.0% |
| 3m | +4.7% | +1.9% |
| 6m | +13.8% | +6.5% |
| 1y | -1.6% | +12.1% |
| ytd | -0.0% | +0.2% |
Revenue & Profitability HSIC demonstrated sequential revenue growth from $3.24B to $3.34B in Q3 2025, though gross margin dipped slightly to 28.7%. Net income improved to $101M, driving net margins up to 3.02%, reflecting modest profitability enhancement quarter-over-quarter amid stable operating expense control.
Financial Health The company maintains moderate leverage with a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02 and a debt ratio of 31%, indicating manageable debt levels. However, weak cash flow coverage (0.05 cash flow-to-debt ratio) and a low cash ratio of 0.04 highlight potential liquidity constraints relative to obligations.
Operational Efficiency HSICβs operational metrics show room for improvement, with ROE at 3.01% and asset turnover of 0.30, suggesting suboptimal capital utilization. The inventory turnover of 1.25 and operating cycle of 119 days indicate slower working capital efficiency, constraining returns on employed assets.
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Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardHSIC's current valuation appears reasonably priced based on its trailing PE of 22.34 and forward PE of 19.66, suggesting modest expectations for future earnings growth. The PEG ratio of 1.07 indicates the stock is fairly valued relative to its growth prospects, though the elevated EV/EBITDA of 44.1 suggests the market is pricing in strong operational efficiency. Overall, the metrics point to a fairly valued security without significant over or undervaluation signals.
Without industry average data for comparison, a contextual assessment of HSIC's valuation relative to peers cannot be determined. The absence of benchmark metrics prevents evaluating whether HSIC's multiples represent a premium or discount to its sector. A complete peer comparison would require industry data to contextualize these valuation ratios meaningfully.
Volatility risk appears moderate, as indicated by the Beta below 1.0 suggesting the stock is slightly less volatile than the broader market. However, the maximum drawdown of -20.53% over the past year highlights a meaningful downside risk during market downturns, which should be monitored.
Other risks appear limited based on the provided data, with no reported short interest suggesting minimal speculative pressure against the stock. The absence of liquidity metrics prevents a full assessment of trading liquidity risk, but this factor warrants verification in conjunction with average trading volume.
Neutral. While HSIC shows promising operational initiatives like AI integration and new partnerships, these positives are tempered by a unanimously bearish analyst consensus and only modest profitability improvements. The stock appears fairly valued but faces near-term headwinds from leadership transition and competitive pressures. This mix of factors makes it more suitable for patient, long-term investors who can wait for strategic initiatives to mature.
HSIC appears fairly valued based on its current metrics. The PEG ratio of 1.07 suggests appropriate pricing relative to growth expectations, while the forward PE of 19.7 indicates modest earnings growth anticipation. However, suboptimal operational efficiency (3.01% ROE, 119-day operating cycle) constrains valuation upside potential. The stock doesn't show clear signals of significant overvaluation or undervaluation given its current profitability trajectory and moderate financial health.
Based on the provided data, here are the key risks of holding HSIC stock:
1. Liquidity Risk: The company's extremely low cash ratio (0.04) and weak cash flow-to-debt ratio (0.05) indicate a potential inability to meet short-term obligations without external financing. 2. Operational Inefficiency Risk: Subpar asset utilization, evidenced by a low ROE (3.01%) and asset turnover (0.30), suggests the company is not generating adequate returns from its capital investments. 3. Market Volatility Risk: Despite a beta below 1.0, the stock experienced a maximum drawdown of -20.53% in the past year, indicating it is still susceptible to significant price declines during market stress.
Based on the provided analysis, my forecast for Henry Schein (HSIC) through 2026 is for moderate, single-digit growth.
My base-case target price range for 2026 is $82-$86, with a bull-case scenario potentially reaching the high-$80s if operational efficiency improves significantly. The key growth drivers are the continued recovery in core dental/medical demand and the stock's reasonable valuation attracting investors. This forecast assumes stable market conditions and that management can begin to address the noted operational inefficiencies and weak cash flow generation. However, this outlook is highly uncertain and heavily dependent on the company's ability to improve its working capital management and profitability metrics.