I suppose there's something to be said for consistency.

National HealthCare Corp. has reported second-quarter profits of $11.4 million, almost exactly the amount it booked in the same period of last year. The Murfreesboro-based operator of nursing homes saw its revenues for the quarter fall 1.5 percent to about $188 million.

NHC's total patient days also fell slightly in the three months ended June 30, but profits held up in part because per-diem payments for Medicaid patients — the largest category for the company — climbed 1 percent.

Shares of NHC (Ticker: NHC) were up 3 percent to $43.03 in afternoon trading. Year to date, they're also up about that much.