Bullish case
$600 to $775
More likely if VITAS grows patient census above industry trends, regulatory environment remains favorable, Roto-Rooter expands margins, and the market rewards CHE with a 28x forward PE multiple.
Chemed Corporation research snapshot
CHE AI stock analysis currently reads Chemed Corporation as a defensive healthcare and services holding company with two high-quality subsidiaries: VITAS Healthcare and Roto-Rooter. The analysis is not a certain price prediction. At the July 12, 2026 cutoff, the latest verified close used here was $488.59, market capitalization was about $6.49 billion, and the main question was whether hospice volume growth, plumbing services demand, and solid cash generation can sustain a mid-20s earnings multiple. This is informational research and not investment advice.
Current price
$488.59
Market cap
$6.49 billion
AI score
72 / 100
Rating
Good business with moderate margin of safety
Trend status
Strong uptrend approaching 52-week highs
Data cutoff (updated weekly)
July 12, 2026
Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.
| Dimension | Conclusion | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Business quality | Chemed owns two essential-service businesses: VITAS (largest US hospice provider) and Roto-Rooter (leading plumbing/drain services). Both have recurring demand characteristics. | High |
| Moat | Roto-Rooter has brand recognition and scale in fragmented plumbing services. VITAS has economies of scale in hospice operations, but switching costs are low and regulation is significant. | Medium-high |
| Management | CEO Kevin McNamara has led Chemed since 1999 with a disciplined capital allocation record. VITAS CEO Joel Wherley appointed July 2025 is a newer variable. | Medium-high |
| Financial trend | TTM revenue of about $2.54 billion and TTM net income of about $265 million show steady growth. Revenue from the latest four quarters grew roughly 7-8% year-over-year. | High |
| Valuation | CHE trades near 25x TTM earnings and about 20x TTM free cash flow, which is reasonable for the defensive growth profile but offers only a moderate margin of safety. | Medium |
| Technical trend | CHE is in a strong uptrend, up 26.6% in 3 months and approaching 52-week highs around $493.47. Momentum is positive but the stock is technically extended. | Medium-high |
| Risk level | Key risks are hospice regulatory changes (Medicare reimbursement), DOJ settlement legacy, VITAS CEO transition, Roto-Rooter cyclical exposure, and succession risk at Chemed corporate. | Medium-high |
| AI confidence | Medium-high confidence for the business map, latest filings, and market cap math. Lower confidence for projection accuracy due to limited analyst coverage and holding company complexity. | Medium-high data confidence |
| Investment certainty | Medium certainty. CHE is a well-run company with defensible businesses, but the limited analyst coverage, holding company structure, and leadership transition create uncertainty. | Medium |
CHE AI stock forecast
The CHE AI stock forecast uses scenario ranges around the $488.59 cutoff price. It does not claim that AI can predict a specific future price. The bullish case requires sustained hospice census growth, stable Medicare reimbursement, and Roto-Rooter margin recovery. The base case assumes mid-single-digit organic growth with moderate multiple compression. The bearish case assumes regulatory headwinds or operational issues at either subsidiary.
$600 to $775
More likely if VITAS grows patient census above industry trends, regulatory environment remains favorable, Roto-Rooter expands margins, and the market rewards CHE with a 28x forward PE multiple.
$450 to $545
More likely if earnings grow at a mid-single-digit pace, cash generation continues, and CHE trades near a 22x PE multiple consistent with its defensive healthcare profile.
$300 to $400
More likely if Medicare hospice reimbursement faces cuts, VITAS CEO transition disrupts operations, Roto-Rooter experiences a demand slowdown, and the market re-rates CHE toward a 16x PE.
CHE AI technical analysis
CHE AI technical analysis starts from the $488.59 July 10 close used for this July 12 static page. Public technical sources showed CHE in a strong uptrend, with the stock up 26.6% over 3 months and approaching the 52-week high at $493.47. Because this page does not fetch request-time market data, traders should confirm levels on a live chart before acting.
| Level | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Current price | $488.59 | Latest verified close used for this page as of the July 12, 2026 data cutoff. |
| Near resistance | $493 to $494 | The 52-week high zone. A breakout above this level would open the path toward $500 and the next resistance area. |
| Secondary resistance | $499 to $505 | The next resistance zone reported by Barchart turning points. Requires volume confirmation to sustain above $494. |
| Near support | $483 to $477 | The first support zone from recent trading range. A pullback to this area would be normal in an uptrend. |
| Secondary support | $472 to $444 | Deeper support zone from the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level around $444. A break below $472 would weaken the near-term trend. |
| 50-day moving average | Approaching $450 area | The 50-day MA likely sits in the $440-$460 range given the strong 3-month upward move. Public sources should be checked for the exact level. |
| 200-day moving average | Approaching $420 area | The 200-day MA is well below the current price, confirming the long-term uptrend. Public sources should be checked for the exact level. |
| Momentum | RSI near overbought | Barchart reported RSI just crossed below 70% from overbought territory. Momentum indicators suggest the stock may be due for consolidation. |
| Volume | About 143,000 shares on Jul 10 | Volume was below the 214,000 average, suggesting the recent advance lacks strong institutional participation. |
| Beta | 0.52 | CHE has very low market correlation. It tends to hold up better in downturns but may lag in strong bull markets. |
| Invalidation | Close below $472, then $444 | A close below the first support zone weakens the near-term setup. A break below the Fibonacci 61.8% level challenges the trend. |
CHE AI trading strategy
The CHE AI trading strategy is a rules-based framework, not personalized advice. It combines filing-backed business evidence, technical confirmation, position sizing, and clear invalidation levels.
Look for CHE to break above the $493-$494 52-week high zone with above-average volume and hold above $494 to confirm trend continuation.
A failed breakout or daily close below $483 should reduce confidence. Position sizing should account for the low beta and below-average liquidity.
If CHE pulls back toward $472-$477 without a thesis break, evaluate whether the pullback is driven by profit-taking or fundamental concerns. Use upcoming earnings as a catalyst.
Define maximum loss based on portfolio risk. CHE has low volatility, so position size may need to be larger to achieve meaningful exposure.
Track quarterly hospice census trends, Medicare reimbursement policy, Roto-Rooter revenue and margins, cash flow, and management commentary from earnings calls.
Lower the rating if hospice volumes decline for two consecutive quarters or if Roto-Rooter margins compress due to inflation or competition.
Investment research summary
Chemed operates two essential-service businesses. VITAS provides end-of-life hospice and palliative care with about 22,000 average daily census. Roto-Rooter provides plumbing, drain cleaning, and water restoration services across North America.
Roto-Rooter benefits from strong brand recognition and a national service network in a fragmented industry. VITAS has scale advantages in hospice operations but faces low switching costs and Medicare reimbursement dependency.
The thesis can fail if Medicare hospice reimbursement is significantly cut, VITAS loses market share or faces regulatory penalties, Roto-Rooter suffers from a housing or remodeling downturn, or the CEO succession process leads to capital allocation mistakes.
CEO Kevin McNamara has been at the helm since 1999, overseeing consistent cash generation and disciplined capital allocation. The appointment of Joel Wherley as VITAS CEO in July 2025 is a monitor item, as the new leadership maintains operational continuity.
Hospice care benefits from favorable demographic trends with the aging US population. Plumbing services are partially tied to housing turnover and remodeling activity but also benefit from recurring maintenance demand.
At roughly 25x TTM earnings and 20x TTM free cash flow, CHE trades at a moderate premium to the broad market but at a discount to high-growth healthcare peers. The margin of safety depends on continued organic growth and stable regulatory conditions.
Source-backed data
Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.
| Metric | Value | Source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHE price | $488.59 close on July 10, 2026 | Barchart and Google Finance quote snapshots | July 12, 2026 |
| Market capitalization | $6.49 billion, verified as $488.59 x 13,274,000 shares | financial_rigor.py market cap verification, Barchart, and Google Finance | July 12, 2026 |
| TTM revenue | About $2.54 billion | Barchart and Google Finance Q1 FY2026 financial data | July 12, 2026 |
| TTM net income | About $265 million | Barchart fundamentals and Google Finance earnings data | July 12, 2026 |
| TTM earnings per share | $19.69 | Barchart fundamentals | July 12, 2026 |
| Q1 FY2026 revenue | $657.51 million | Google Finance earnings summary | July 12, 2026 |
| Q1 FY2026 EPS | $5.65 (beat estimate of $5.30) | Google Finance earnings data | July 12, 2026 |
| Cash from operations | TTM CFO not directly reported; annual CFO typically $300-$350M (est.) | SEC filings and Barchart fundamentals | July 12, 2026 |
| Dividend | $2.40 annual (0.49% yield), paid quarterly at $0.60 | Barchart and Google Finance dividend data | July 12, 2026 |
| P/E and FCF valuation | 24.81x TTM PE, 19.89x P/FCF, 5.03% FCF yield from financial_rigor.py | financial_rigor.py valuation verification | July 12, 2026 |
| Three-scenario valuation | Bull $775 (28x), Base $546 (22x), Bear $344 (16x) from financial_rigor.py | financial_rigor.py three-scenario model | July 12, 2026 |
This CHE AI stock analysis is an informational tool for research and education only. It is not investment advice, a recommendation, or a guarantee of future performance. Forecast ranges are scenarios based on available data as of July 12, 2026 and can be wrong.
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