HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) has been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-three analysts that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $465.5909.

HCA has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $369.00 to $381.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, August 3rd. UBS Group lowered their target price on HCA Healthcare from $635.00 to $579.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on HCA Healthcare from $558.00 to $485.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $402.00 to $387.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Argus decreased their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $560.00 to $500.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 4th.

HCA Healthcare Stock Up 1.0%

Shares of HCA Healthcare stock opened at $412.80 on Monday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $389.00 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $448.75. HCA Healthcare has a 12-month low of $353.99 and a 12-month high of $556.52. The company has a market capitalization of $89.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.82, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.10.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The company reported $7.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.56 by $0.03. HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.77% and a negative return on equity of 244.79%. The business had revenue of $20.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.76 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $6.84 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that HCA Healthcare will post 29.45 earnings per share for the current year.

HCA Healthcare Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 16th will be given a dividend of $0.78 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 16th. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. HCA Healthcare’s dividend payout ratio is 10.45%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On HCA Healthcare

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. lifted its position in HCA Healthcare by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. now owns 2,026 shares of the company’s stock worth $946,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the period. MJP Associates Inc. ADV boosted its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 2.9% in the fourth quarter. MJP Associates Inc. ADV now owns 749 shares of the company’s stock worth $350,000 after acquiring an additional 21 shares during the last quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its holdings in HCA Healthcare by 7.5% in the fourth quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 300 shares of the company’s stock valued at $140,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the period. Anchyra Partners LLC raised its stake in HCA Healthcare by 3.7% during the first quarter. Anchyra Partners LLC now owns 587 shares of the company’s stock worth $278,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the period. Finally, Plato Investment Management Ltd increased its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Plato Investment Management Ltd now owns 3,908 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,833,000 after buying an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. 62.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About HCA Healthcare

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.