Leuthold Group LLC Raises Holdings in HCA Healthcare, Inc. $HCA

Leuthold Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) by 11.0% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 17,927 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,772 shares during the quarter. Leuthold Group LLC’s holdings in HCA Healthcare were worth $8,369,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Palisade Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth $31,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 3rd quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Aventura Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth $34,000. 62.73% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

HCA Healthcare Stock Down 2.3%

Shares of HCA Healthcare stock opened at $422.68 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $478.74 and its 200-day simple moving average is $485.84. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a 52 week low of $330.00 and a 52 week high of $556.52. The company has a market capitalization of $93.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.54, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 1.18.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 24th. The company reported $7.15 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.19 by ($0.04). HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.89% and a negative return on equity of 295.93%. The business had revenue of $19.11 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.09 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $6.45 earnings per share. HCA Healthcare’s revenue was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 30.07 earnings per share for the current year.

HCA Healthcare Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be given a $0.78 dividend. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 16th. HCA Healthcare’s payout ratio is currently 10.73%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on HCA shares. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on HCA Healthcare from $520.00 to $558.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on HCA Healthcare from $558.00 to $540.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. Mizuho raised their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $540.00 to $585.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Stephens decreased their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $560.00 to $530.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $517.82.

Insider Activity at HCA Healthcare

In related news, EVP Michael R. Mcalevey sold 1,694 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $533.37, for a total value of $903,528.78. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 8,853 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,721,924.61. The trade was a 16.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

HCA Healthcare Profile

HCA Healthcare is a for‑profit operator of healthcare facilities headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1968, the company owns and operates a network of hospitals and related healthcare facilities and has grown through organic expansion and acquisitions to become a large provider of inpatient and outpatient services.

The company’s core activities include the operation of acute care hospitals, freestanding surgical and emergency centers, and outpatient clinics. HCA’s services encompass inpatient care, surgical services, emergency medicine, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing, and various outpatient and ambulatory care offerings.