HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Stock Lifted to "Buy" by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded HCA Healthcare to “Buy” from “Hold,” adding to a generally positive analyst outlook. Sixteen analysts rate the stock a Buy, with an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $475.70.
• HCA reported quarterly earnings of $7.22 per share, exceeding the $6.65 analyst consensus, while revenue of $19.85 billion also topped estimates and rose 3.6% year over year.
• HCA shares opened at $472.94, giving the company a market capitalization of about $102.4 billion; institutional investors and hedge funds own approximately 62.7% of outstanding shares.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report issued on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Mizuho set a $495.00 target price on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research report on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $476.00 price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research note on Monday, July 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $490.00 to $425.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on shares of HCA Healthcare in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $495.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price target on HCA Healthcare from $535.00 to $495.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 27th. Sixteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, HCA Healthcare has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $475.70.

HCA Healthcare Stock Down 1.1%

Shares of NYSE:HCA opened at $472.94 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $102.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.95, a P/E/G ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 1.10. HCA Healthcare has a 12-month low of $353.99 and a 12-month high of $556.52. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $437.44 and a 200 day simple moving average of $444.90.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The company reported $7.22 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $6.65 by $0.57. HCA Healthcare had a negative return on equity of 198.52% and a net margin of 8.61%. The firm had revenue of $19.85 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.33 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $6.96 EPS. The business's revenue was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that HCA Healthcare will post 30.16 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On HCA Healthcare

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. lifted its position in HCA Healthcare by 24.7% during the third quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 111 shares of the company's stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. Beacon Capital Management LLC increased its position in HCA Healthcare by 0.7% in the third quarter. Beacon Capital Management LLC now owns 3,631 shares of the company's stock worth $1,550,000 after buying an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of HCA Healthcare by 3.3% in the third quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 806 shares of the company's stock worth $378,000 after buying an additional 26 shares during the period. AdvisorNet Financial Inc raised its stake in shares of HCA Healthcare by 3.5% in the third quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 994 shares of the company's stock worth $468,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the period. Finally, Integrated Advisors Network LLC lifted its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Integrated Advisors Network LLC now owns 5,469 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,334,000 after buying an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.73% of the company's stock.

HCA Healthcare News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting HCA Healthcare this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada raised its HCA price target from $496 to $521 and reaffirmed an “outperform” rating, implying roughly 10% upside from the referenced trading level. Royal Bank of Canada analyst action
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen increased its price target for HCA Healthcare, adding to the series of favorable analyst revisions following the company’s latest results. TD Cowen price target article
• Positive Sentiment: KeyCorp also boosted its HCA price target, reinforcing Wall Street’s constructive view of the hospital operator. KeyCorp price target article
• Positive Sentiment: Robert W. Baird raised its target as well, suggesting analysts see further value after HCA’s quarterly earnings beat. Robert W. Baird price target article
• Positive Sentiment: HCA said 102 hospitals received Healthgrades recognition for specialty-care excellence, potentially supporting the company’s reputation, patient demand and competitive positioning. Healthgrades recognition announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: HCA HealthONE agreed to pay $14.5 million for a Wheat Ridge retail center and plans to develop a medical park. The project could expand local capacity, but its financial contribution and execution timeline remain uncertain. Wheat Ridge medical park article
• Neutral Sentiment: A St. David’s HealthCare CEO plans to retire in March, creating a leadership transition within an HCA-affiliated system. St. David’s CEO retirement article
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz LLP announced an investigation into potential claims on behalf of HCA investors. The announcement does not establish wrongdoing, but adds legal and headline risk that can pressure the stock. Pomerantz investor investigation announcement

About HCA Healthcare

HCA Healthcare, Inc is a healthcare services company that operates hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, emergency care facilities, physician practices and other healthcare sites. Its facilities provide a broad range of services, including acute and emergency care, surgery, cardiology, oncology, women's and children's services, behavioral health and outpatient care.

The company serves patients primarily across the United States through a network of healthcare facilities in numerous states.

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