Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC Sells 4,036 Shares of HCA Healthcare, Inc. $HCA

Key Points

• Brandywine Global Investment Management trimmed its HCA Healthcare stake by 2.1% in the fourth quarter, selling 4,036 shares and leaving it with 191,451 shares worth about $89.4 million.
• HCA reported quarterly earnings of $7.15 per share, slightly below analyst expectations, while revenue came in at $19.11 billion and rose 4.3% year over year.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.78 per share and also outlined FY2026 EPS guidance of 29.1 to 31.5, while analysts currently have a consensus Moderate Buy rating with an average target price of $506.14.

Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC decreased its position in shares of HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA - Free Report) by 2.1% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 191,451 shares of the company's stock after selling 4,036 shares during the period. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC owned approximately 0.08% of HCA Healthcare worth $89,381,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in HCA. Palisade Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in HCA Healthcare during the third quarter valued at $26,000. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in HCA Healthcare during the third quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Aventura Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.73% of the company's stock.

HCA Healthcare Price Performance

Shares of NYSE HCA opened at $372.29 on Monday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $439.51 and a 200 day moving average price of $477.20. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a 1-year low of $330.00 and a 1-year high of $556.52. The stock has a market capitalization of $82.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.12.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 24th. The company reported $7.15 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $7.19 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $19.11 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.09 billion. HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.89% and a negative return on equity of 295.93%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $6.45 earnings per share. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 30.07 earnings per share 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 given a $0.78 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend 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 presently 10.73%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have commented on HCA. Truist Financial set a $413.00 price objective on HCA Healthcare in a research report on Thursday. Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $450.00 to $442.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Barclays dropped their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $551.00 to $496.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Leerink Partners decreased their target price on HCA Healthcare from $573.00 to $500.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, UBS Group raised their price target on HCA Healthcare from $598.00 to $635.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $506.14.

HCA Healthcare News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: HCA reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $19.1 billion, highlighting continued top-line growth and reinforcing the company’s scale and demand trends. HCA Healthcare (HCA) Reports Q1 2026 Financial Growth With $19.1B in Revenue
• Positive Sentiment: HCA acquired 17 urgent care clinics in the Carolinas, a move that expands its outpatient network and could support future patient volume and revenue growth. HCA acquires 17 urgent care clinics in the Carolinas
• Positive Sentiment: HCA Healthcare-owned Galen College of Nursing opened a new campus near Space Center Houston, which may help strengthen the company’s nursing pipeline and ease labor constraints over time. HCA Healthcare-owned nursing college opens new campus near Space Center Houston
• Neutral Sentiment: HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake is hosting a ribbon cutting for a blood cancer unit, a local service expansion that is positive operationally but likely limited in near-term stock impact. HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake to host ribbon cutting for blood cancer unit
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional community and employee-related announcements, including a butterfly release event and leadership updates, are supportive of HCA’s brand but are not likely to move the stock materially. HCA Florida Healthcare hosts a butterfly release to honor cancer patients and their loved ones
• Neutral Sentiment: HCA also hosted emergency response team training, which reflects ongoing operational readiness but is not a major financial catalyst. HCA Healthcare hosts emergency response team training at Tristar Skyline Medical Center

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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