Taking Care Aggressive acquisition plans make this firm an up-and-comer.

The Company: Scarsdale, New York, National Home HealthCare Corp., incorporated in 1983, is a home health-care serviceprovider.

Markets: National provides a wide variety of homehealth-care services throughout the New York City metropolitan areaand Long Island, as well as certain counties in Connecticut.In-home health care is attractive to patients because it allowsthem to receive treatment in familiar surroundings and to insurancecompanies because it lowers overall treatment costs. Convenienceand cost savings have made home health care a $35 billion businessand one of the fastest-growing segments of the health-careindustry.

The Sizzle: Many companies in home health care have beenaggressively acquiring other companies, consolidating the industry.National made its first acquisition last year by purchasing NewEngland Home Care, nearly doubling its revenues and expanding intoConnecticut. Armed with a strong balance sheet and access toadditional capital, further acquisitions appear likely. Combinedwith internal growth, this should continue the company's trendof record sales, net income and earnings per share.