I just noticed that many people are starting to show interest in hospital stocks, because they view them as businesses with steady income and lower risk. In fact, these are truly good Defensive Stocks. No matter what condition the market is in, hospital stocks still deliver consistent returns.

However, the issue is: which hospital stock is the best this year? There are many choices, and each one has different strengths. Let’s take a look at which ones are worth paying attention to.

Let’s start with the big ones. BDMS has a market cap of 319 billion baht. Its stock price is 20 baht, with a P/E of 19.5x and an ROE of 16.8%. This is a company with a hospital network spread across both the country and abroad, including medical centers in Myanmar. It is expected that profit in 2569 will be around 16–16.3 billion baht.

BH is also an interesting option. With a market cap of 135 billion baht and a stock price of 167.50 baht, what stands out is its ROE of 31.9%, which is very high compared with others. This is because BH mainly focuses on international patients. Here, you need to keep track of medical tourism as well as the economies of the countries involved.

If you’re looking for a stock with growth potential and the share price isn’t too expensive—BCH is worth considering. Its market cap is 25 billion baht, and the price is only 10.20 baht, with a P/E of 19.7x. Profit is expected to grow by 23% in 2568. This company mainly focuses on Thai patients and social security.

For those who prefer specialized treatment, RAM is also interesting. It is well known for treating heart, brain, and bone diseases. Located on Ramkhamhaeng, which is an area with a high population density, it still requires caution because its P/E is 33.41x, which is relatively high.

For smaller players such as VIBHA, CHG, and PR9, they also have significant growth potential. VIBHA is expected to grow clearly in 2568 due to an increase in the number of beds and the expansion of new businesses. Its stock price is only 1.88 baht. CHG is priced at 1.50 baht and has plans to expand branches in areas with economic growth. PR9, priced at 18.7–18.9 baht, focuses on serving general patients in the country while still covering international patients from China, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.

If you want to choose the best hospital stock, it should depend on your investment goals. If you want stocks with stability and income from abroad, large ones like BDMS or BH are good options. But if you want stocks that still have growth potential and whose stock prices aren’t too expensive, mid-sized options like BCH or smaller companies with expansion plans are worth considering.

The important thing is to check which customer segments each hospital targets, because this will affect both risk and growth opportunities. If it’s a hospital that focuses on foreigners, you should follow the economy of that country. But if it focuses on Thai patients and social security, then you need to look at the country’s health policy.

No matter which one you choose, hospital stocks remain a good option for long-term wealth accumulation, because they are businesses that society needs. Healthcare will always be necessary no matter how times change.