Chemed Corporation research snapshot

CHE AI Stock Analysis

CHE AI stock analysis reads Chemed Corporation as a defensive healthcare and services holding company whose two businesses, VITAS Healthcare and Roto-Rooter, both reported solid second-quarter results. At the August 3, 2026 cutoff, the latest verified quote was $542.64, market capitalization was about $7.07 billion, and the stock was trading just below its 52-week high of $551.68. The analysis is not a certain price prediction. It weighs a raised full-year earnings outlook, strong VITAS volume and margin gains, disciplined buybacks, and a valuation that has moved to about 27x trailing earnings. This is informational research and not investment advice.

Current price

$542.64

Market cap

$7.07 billion

AI score

75 / 100

Rating

Quality business with modest margin of safety

Trend status

Strong uptrend near 52-week highs

Data cutoff (updated monthly)

August 4, 2026

Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.

Research quality check

information Richness
B-level information richness. Chemed has a long public history and complete SEC data, but analyst coverage is thin at 4 to 5 firms. Fundamentals are well documented while near-term forecasts rest on a small consensus pool.
bias Check
The main AI bias risk is consensus anchoring from a small analyst pool, plus momentum feedback after a strong run. This page separates filing-backed facts from scenario judgments and flags valuation sensitivity.
ai Confidence
Medium-high data confidence
investment Certainty
Medium. Chemed is a well-run holding company with strong cash flow and raised guidance, but the current price leaves less room for error after a large rally, and holding company complexity plus Medicare policy risk keep certainty below high.

Quick verdict table

DimensionConclusionConfidence
Business qualityChemed owns two essential-service businesses: VITAS, the largest US hospice provider, and Roto-Rooter, a leading plumbing and drain services brand. Q2 2026 revenue grew 8.8% with VITAS patient revenue up 11.9%.High
MoatRoto-Rooter has brand recognition and scale in a fragmented industry. VITAS has operating scale but faces low switching costs and Medicare reimbursement dependency.Medium-high
ManagementCEO Kevin McNamara has led Chemed since 1999. The company bought back about 1.52 million shares over the trailing year, roughly 10.5% of shares, and raised 2026 guidance. The VITAS CEO transition remains a monitor item.Medium-high
Financial trendTTM revenue of about $2.60 billion and TTM net income of about $275 million. Adjusted diluted EPS for 2026 is guided to $25.00 to $25.75, up from $21.55 in 2025.High
ValuationCHE trades near 27x trailing earnings and about 21x trailing free cash flow, above its historical average. The forward P/E near 21x is more reasonable given raised guidance.Medium
Technical trendCHE is up about 27% over 3 months and near the 52-week high of $551.68. RSI near 73 signals overbought conditions after a strong run.Medium-high
Risk levelKey risks are Medicare reimbursement and Medicare Cap exposure at VITAS, the VITAS CEO transition, Roto-Rooter margin pressure from marketing spend, and valuation after a large rally.Medium-high
AI confidenceMedium-high confidence for the business map, latest filings, and market cap math. Lower confidence for projection accuracy given thin analyst coverage and holding company structure.Medium-high data confidence
Investment certaintyMedium certainty. CHE is well run with improving fundamentals, but valuation is no longer cheap and results depend on continued hospice growth and stable Medicare policy.Medium

CHE AI stock forecast

CHE AI Stock Forecast Scenarios

The CHE AI stock forecast uses scenario ranges around the $542.64 cutoff price. It does not claim that AI can predict a specific future price. The bullish case requires sustained VITAS admissions and census growth, stable Medicare reimbursement, and continued margin gains. The base case assumes mid-to-high single-digit organic growth with the multiple roughly unchanged. The bearish case assumes Medicare policy headwinds, Roto-Rooter margin pressure, or a demand slowdown.

Bullish case

$650 to $790

More likely if VITAS keeps admissions growth near 9% and census near 6%, Medicare Cap stays contained, Roto-Rooter margins recover, and the market assigns a 28x forward multiple to earnings of $27 to $28.

Base case

$540 to $620

More likely if earnings grow near the raised $25.00 to $25.75 guidance range, cash flow continues to fund buybacks, and CHE trades near a 24x forward multiple.

Bearish case

$300 to $380

More likely if Medicare hospice reimbursement is cut or the Medicare Cap hits multiple provider numbers, Roto-Rooter demand slows, and the multiple compresses toward 17x forward earnings.

CHE AI technical analysis

CHE AI Technical Analysis

CHE AI technical analysis starts from the $542.64 August 3, 2026 quote used for this static page, with a previous close of $532.25. Barchart showed a strong uptrend with an 88% buy opinion, relative strength above 70%, and the stock near the 52-week high of $551.68. Because this page does not fetch request-time market data, traders should confirm levels on a live chart before acting.

LevelValueWhy it matters
Current price$542.64Latest verified quote used for this page as of the August 3, 2026 data cutoff. Previous close was $532.25.
Near resistance$543.68 to $551.68The 52-week high zone. Barchart placed the second and third resistance points at $543.68 and $551.42, with the 52-week high at $551.68.
Secondary resistance$552 to $560Above the 52-week high there is no recent supply until new highs, so $552 and round numbers near $560 are the next reference zones.
Near support$524.51 to $516.77Barchart first and second support levels. A pullback to this area would be normal after an extended rally.
Secondary support$511.06Barchart third support level. A close below this area would weaken the near-term setup.
50-day moving average$466.36The 50-day MA sits well below the price, confirming the uptrend. A decline toward it would be a large drawdown from current levels.
200-day moving average$435.92The 200-day MA is far below the price, confirming the long-term uptrend.
MomentumRSI near 73StockAnalysis reported an RSI of 72.89, in overbought territory. Barchart noted relative strength above 70% with a strengthening short-term outlook.
VolumeAverage about 165,700 shares over 20 daysVolume is modest for a mid-cap. Strong volume is needed to confirm a breakout above $551.68.
Beta0.50CHE has very low market correlation. It tends to hold up better in downturns but can lag in strong bull markets.
InvalidationClose below $524.51, then $511.06A close below the first support zone weakens the near-term setup. A break below the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement around $480 would challenge the trend.

CHE AI trading strategy

CHE AI Trading Strategy Framework

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.

Trend-following setup

Look for CHE to break above the $551.68 52-week high with above-average volume and hold above it to confirm trend continuation after the strong Q2 report.

A failed breakout or daily close below $524.51 should reduce confidence. Position sizing should account for the low beta and modest liquidity.

Mean-reversion setup

If CHE pulls back toward $524 to $517 without a thesis break, evaluate whether the decline is profit-taking or fundamental. Watch the late-October earnings date as the next catalyst.

Define maximum loss based on portfolio risk. CHE has low volatility, so position size may need to be larger to reach meaningful exposure.

Fundamental monitor

Track VITAS admissions and census growth, Medicare reimbursement and Medicare Cap accruals, Roto-Rooter revenue and margins, buyback pace, and management commentary.

Lower the rating if VITAS growth decelerates for consecutive quarters, Roto-Rooter margins keep falling, or Medicare policy changes hit reimbursement.

Investment research summary

Four-master Research Compression

Business essence

Chemed operates two essential-service businesses. VITAS provides end-of-life hospice and palliative care, averaging 23,687 daily census in Q2 2026. Roto-Rooter provides plumbing, drain cleaning, excavation, and water restoration services across North America.

Moat

Roto-Rooter benefits from strong brand recognition and a national network in a fragmented industry. VITAS has scale in hospice operations but faces low switching costs and Medicare reimbursement dependency.

Munger risk inversion

The thesis fails if Medicare reimbursement is cut or the Medicare Cap hits multiple provider numbers, VITAS growth stalls after its leader transition, Roto-Rooter loses demand or margin to marketing costs, or a post-rally re-rating erases gains.

Management

CEO Kevin McNamara has led Chemed since 1999. The company repurchased about 1.52 million shares over the trailing year at an average of $423.63, roughly 10.5% of shares, and raised 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $25.00 to $25.75.

Industry trend

Hospice care benefits from favorable demographic trends with the aging US population. Plumbing services are partly tied to housing and remodeling activity but also benefit from recurring maintenance demand.

Valuation and margin of safety

At about 27x trailing earnings and 21x trailing free cash flow, CHE trades above its own history and near the average analyst price target of $552. The forward multiple near 21x is less demanding after guidance was raised, but the margin of safety is modest at current prices.

Source-backed data

CHE Data Table

Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.

MetricValueSourceLast verified
CHE price$542.64 quote on August 3, 2026; previous close $532.25StockAnalysis.com and Barchart quote snapshotsAugust 3, 2026
Market capitalizationAbout $7.07 billion, verified as $542.64 x 13.02M sharesfinancial_rigor.py market cap verification, StockAnalysis.com, BarchartAugust 3, 2026
TTM revenueAbout $2.60 billion, up 3.3%StockAnalysis.com financialsAugust 3, 2026
TTM net incomeAbout $275.0 millionStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
TTM earnings per share$19.91StockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Q2 2026 revenue$673.3 million, up 8.8%Chemed Q2 2026 earnings release (GlobeNewswire, July 28, 2026)August 3, 2026
Q2 2026 adjusted EPS$6.06, up 41.9%; GAAP EPS $5.13Chemed Q2 2026 earnings releaseAugust 3, 2026
2026 adjusted EPS guidance$25.00 to $25.75, raised from $24.00 to $24.75Chemed Q2 2026 earnings releaseAugust 3, 2026
TTM operating cash flow$389.95 millionStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
TTM free cash flow$323.61 million, $24.86 per shareStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Dividend$2.40 annual, 0.44% yield, 17 years of dividend growthStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
P/E and valuation27.25x TTM PE, 21.83x P/FCF, 0.44% dividend yield from financial_rigor.pyfinancial_rigor.py valuation verificationAugust 3, 2026
Analyst consensusHold, average price target $552 from 4 analysts, range $400 to $590StockAnalysis.com forecastAugust 3, 2026
Three-scenario valuationBull $783 (28x), Base $602 (24x), Bear $359 (17x) from financial_rigor.pyfinancial_rigor.py three-scenario modelAugust 3, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

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 August 3, 2026 and can be wrong.