KBC Group NV Sells 29,838 Shares of HCA Healthcare, Inc. $HCA

Key Points

• KBC Group NV reduced its stake in HCA Healthcare by 7.8% in the first quarter, selling 29,838 shares and leaving it with 354,583 shares valued at about $167.8 million.
• HCA’s latest results were mixed: quarterly EPS of $7.15 missed estimates by a small margin, while revenue of $19.11 billion slightly beat expectations and rose 4.3% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains generally positive but has cooled, with several firms cutting price targets; the stock still carries a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $486.14.

KBC Group NV lowered its position in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA - Free Report) by 7.8% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 354,583 shares of the company's stock after selling 29,838 shares during the period. KBC Group NV owned about 0.16% of HCA Healthcare worth $167,803,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in HCA. Palisade Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the third quarter worth about $26,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new position in HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the first quarter valued at approximately $33,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the third quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Aventura Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Institutional investors own 62.73% of the company's stock.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance

NYSE HCA opened at $371.60 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $82.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.78, a P/E/G ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 1.12. The business's 50 day moving average price is $392.25 and its 200-day moving average price is $456.93. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $330.00 and a fifty-two week high of $556.52.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) last posted 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). The firm had revenue of $19.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $19.09 billion. HCA Healthcare had a negative return on equity of 295.93% and a net margin of 8.89%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 4.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $6.45 earnings per share. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 29.73 EPS for the current year.

HCA Healthcare Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th were paid a $0.78 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, June 16th. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. HCA Healthcare's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.73%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. TD Cowen reduced their target price on HCA Healthcare from $500.00 to $431.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a "market perform" rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research note on Wednesday. Argus cut their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $560.00 to $500.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 4th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of HCA Healthcare from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $436.00 to $428.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 13th. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $486.14.

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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