Banque Cantonale Vaudoise Lowers Stock Holdings in HCA Healthcare, Inc. $HCA

Key Points

• Banque Cantonale Vaudoise cut its HCA Healthcare stake by 36.8% in the fourth quarter, selling 3,176 shares and leaving it with 5,447 shares valued at about $2.54 million.
• HCA Healthcare reported Q1 revenue of $19.11 billion, slightly ahead of estimates, but EPS of $7.15 missed analyst expectations by $0.04. The company also reaffirmed FY 2026 EPS guidance of 29.1 to 31.5.
• Sentiment remains mixed: HCA still carries a “Moderate Buy” consensus, but JPMorgan cut its price target to $490 from $535, and the stock is trading well below its 52-week high of $556.52.

Banque Cantonale Vaudoise lowered its stake in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA - Free Report) by 36.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,447 shares of the company's stock after selling 3,176 shares during the quarter. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise's holdings in HCA Healthcare were worth $2,543,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Capital World Investors lifted its stake in HCA Healthcare by 3.8% in the 3rd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,959,336 shares of the company's stock worth $2,113,662,000 after purchasing an additional 179,443 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,065,225 shares of the company's stock valued at $880,199,000 after buying an additional 36,414 shares in the last quarter. Viking Global Investors LP raised its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 58.5% during the 2nd quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 1,872,133 shares of the company's stock valued at $717,214,000 after buying an additional 690,773 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc raised its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 1,124,511 shares of the company's stock valued at $479,267,000 after buying an additional 8,478 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. raised its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,100,929 shares of the company's stock valued at $469,216,000 after buying an additional 11,829 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.73% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting HCA Healthcare

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

• Positive Sentiment: HCA Healthcare received a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating from brokerages, suggesting Wall Street still sees upside despite recent volatility.
• Positive Sentiment: HCA Healthcare said colleagues volunteered more than 41,800 hours during its annual Days of Service initiative, reinforcing the company’s community and brand reputation. HCA Healthcare Colleagues Volunteer More Than 41,800 Hours During Annual Days of Service Initiative
• Positive Sentiment: At the RBC Capital Markets Global Healthcare Conference, HCA Healthcare’s presentation likely helped keep investors focused on the company’s strategy and fundamentals. HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) Presents at RBC Capital Markets Global Healthcare Conference 2026 Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Local articles about HCA Florida Lawnwood and other HCA facilities recognizing trauma staff and first responders are largely reputational and unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. HCA Florida Lawnwood honors survivors, praises first responders and trauma staff HCA observes trauma awareness
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports that HCA hospitals are spending more than $10 million on employee pay raises signal ongoing labor-cost investment, but the market may view this as a cost headwind rather than a clear catalyst. Mission Hospital spends more than $10M on employee pay raises HCA hospital invests $10M to bump payroll
• Negative Sentiment: JPMorgan lowered its price target on HCA Healthcare from $535 to $490 and kept a neutral rating, which may be weighing on investor sentiment. JPMorgan adjusts price target on HCA Healthcare to 490 from 535, maintains neutral rating
• Negative Sentiment: The lower price target, combined with the stock trading well below recent highs, reinforces concerns that near-term upside may be limited.

HCA Healthcare Price Performance

Shares of HCA stock opened at $397.08 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $88.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 1.18. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $470.92 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $484.72. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a one year low of $330.00 and a one year high of $556.52.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, April 24th. The company reported $7.15 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $7.19 by ($0.04). HCA Healthcare had a negative return on equity of 295.93% and a net margin of 8.89%.The company had revenue of $19.11 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.09 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company 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, research analysts expect that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 30.07 EPS for the current fiscal year.

HCA Healthcare Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.78 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 16th. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. HCA Healthcare's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 10.73%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

HCA has been the topic of several recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $525.00 target price on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $551.00 to $496.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $558.00 to $540.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. Argus cut their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $560.00 to $500.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $593.00 to $534.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report 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 stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $515.77.

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.

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