NHC
National HealthCare Corporation Healthcare - Medical Care Facilities Investor Relations →
National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) closed at $161.57 as of 2026-02-05, trading 84.9% above its 200-week moving average of $87.37. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 74.3% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 75, NHC is in overbought territory.
Over the past 1992 weeks of data, NHC has crossed below its 200-week moving average 21 times. On average, these episodes lasted 22 weeks. Historically, investors who bought NHC at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +34.0%.
With a market cap of $2.5 billion, NHC is a mid-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 4.8%. Return on equity stands at 10.1%. The stock trades at 2.4x book value.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in NHC would have grown to $3410, compared to $2849 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 11.2% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming NHC as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been volatile over the past several years, making the quality of earnings harder to assess.
Growth of $100: NHC vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After NHC Crosses Below the Line?
Across 18 historical episodes, buying NHC when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of -1.8% after 12 months (median -3.0%), compared to +16.9% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 41% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +25.3% vs +36.8% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment NHC crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
NHC has crossed below its 200-week MA 21 times with an average 1-year return of +34.0% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1987 | Jun 1989 | 77 | 32.7% | -11.5% | +25833.8% |
| Jun 1989 | Jul 1989 | 2 | 1.9% | +24.8% | +22922.8% |
| Nov 1990 | Nov 1990 | 1 | 0.6% | +288.9% | +21421.4% |
| Oct 1991 | Oct 1991 | 1 | 4.4% | +390.2% | +19298.5% |
| Jul 1998 | Jun 2001 | 154 | 88.1% | -69.9% | +1010.7% |
| Oct 2008 | Nov 2008 | 6 | 18.3% | -1.5% | +582.2% |
| Jan 2009 | Jan 2009 | 1 | 1.3% | -12.7% | +502.1% |
| Feb 2009 | Nov 2010 | 92 | 24.1% | -12.1% | +501.0% |
| Aug 2011 | Nov 2011 | 13 | 22.4% | +49.6% | +683.2% |
| Nov 2011 | Nov 2011 | 1 | 5.7% | +24.6% | +557.5% |
| Feb 2018 | Apr 2018 | 9 | 4.4% | +40.2% | +241.6% |
| Mar 2020 | Apr 2020 | 4 | 7.6% | +15.2% | +181.4% |
| Apr 2020 | Dec 2020 | 35 | 14.7% | +16.2% | +199.9% |
| Jan 2021 | Feb 2021 | 4 | 4.9% | +4.1% | +185.3% |
| Sep 2021 | Sep 2021 | 1 | 0.5% | +4.3% | +168.1% |
| Oct 2021 | Oct 2021 | 1 | 3.1% | -5.6% | +174.1% |
| Nov 2021 | Mar 2022 | 15 | 7.6% | -0.3% | +185.9% |
| Apr 2022 | Apr 2022 | 1 | 1.0% | -12.5% | +162.5% |
| May 2022 | May 2022 | 1 | 0.4% | -12.0% | +160.2% |
| Jun 2022 | Jun 2022 | 1 | 0.7% | -8.3% | +160.9% |
| Sep 2022 | Aug 2023 | 47 | 18.8% | +1.8% | +159.6% |
| Average | 22 | — | +34.0% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-05