Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.48 EPS

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday. The health services provider reported $4.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.36 by $0.48, Zacks reports. Universal Health Services had a net margin of 6.66% and a return on equity of 15.75%. The company had revenue of $4.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.16 billion.

Universal Health Services Trading Up 1.1 %

Shares of Universal Health Services stock opened at $173.49 on Tuesday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $176.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $188.86. The firm has a market cap of $11.28 billion, a PE ratio of 11.54, a P/E/G ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a quick ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. Universal Health Services has a fifty-two week low of $153.99 and a fifty-two week high of $243.25.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd were paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.46%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 3rd. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio is presently 4.75%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UHS has been the subject of several research reports. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Wednesday, March 26th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $200.00 price objective for the company. Robert W. Baird reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $224.00 target price (down from $274.00) on shares of Universal Health Services in a report on Tuesday, April 15th. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $271.00 to $249.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 27th. Baird R W lowered shares of Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 15th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded shares of Universal Health Services from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $224.92.

Insider Transactions at Universal Health Services

In related news, Director Maria Ruderman Singer sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $179.16, for a total transaction of $179,160.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 7,916 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,418,230.56. This represents a 11.22 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 16.40% of the company’s stock.

Universal Health Services Company Profile

Universal Health Services, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates acute care hospitals, and outpatient and behavioral health care facilities. It operates through Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments. The company's hospitals offer general and specialty surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic and coronary care, pediatric services, pharmacy services, and/or behavioral health services.