HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Given New $534.00 Price Target at Royal Bank Of Canada

Key Points

• Royal Bank of Canada cut its price target on HCA Healthcare to $534 from $593 but kept an "outperform" rating, implying about a 22.3% upside from current levels.
• HCA reported Q1 EPS of $7.15 versus $7.19 expected and revenue of $19.11B (up 4.3% YoY), and set FY2026 guidance of 29.10–31.50 EPS (analysts forecast ~30.15 EPS).
• Analyst coverage is largely positive (16 Buys, 7 Holds, 1 Sell) with a consensus target of $521.73, but management flagged a $600M–$900M ACA/exchange headwind that could pressure near‑term results.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) had its target price dropped by Royal Bank Of Canada from $593.00 to $534.00 in a report released on Monday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage presently has an "outperform" rating on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada's price objective indicates a potential upside of 22.29% from the company's current price.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on HCA. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "buy (b)" rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a report on Friday, March 27th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $525.00 target price on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research note on Friday. Barclays set a $496.00 price objective on HCA Healthcare in a report on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company set a $436.00 target price on HCA Healthcare in a research report on Monday. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on HCA Healthcare from $450.00 to $442.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. 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 company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $521.73.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE HCA opened at $436.68 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $97.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.20, a PEG ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 1.36. HCA Healthcare has a 1 year low of $326.14 and a 1 year high of $556.52. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $505.45 and its 200-day simple moving average is $485.81.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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). HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.89% and a negative return on equity of 295.93%. The business had revenue of $19.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.09 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $6.45 EPS. HCA Healthcare's revenue for the quarter was up 4.3% compared to the same quarter last year. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that HCA Healthcare will post 30.15 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other HCA Healthcare news, EVP Michael R. Mcalevey sold 1,694 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $533.37, for a total value of $903,528.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 8,853 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,721,924.61. This represents a 16.06% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Jennifer Berres sold 8,020 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $514.58, for a total value of $4,126,931.60. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 11,993 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,171,357.94. This represents a 40.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 15,214 shares of company stock valued at $7,797,595. 1.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC bought a new position in HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Palisade Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. MCF Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of HCA Healthcare by 213.0% in the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 72 shares of the company's stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aventura Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in HCA Healthcare during the fourth quarter valued at about $34,000. 62.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More HCA Healthcare News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Truist cut its price target modestly from $546 to $535 but kept a "buy" rating, implying continuing analyst confidence and a meaningful upside vs. current levels. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: HCA management reaffirmed FY2026 guidance and downplayed Q1 volume disruptions, signaling confidence in hitting full-year targets despite headwinds. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: HCA continues to expand capacity locally — HCA Florida Gainesville Hospital is preparing to begin serving patients in May, supporting organic growth and local revenue expansion. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: HCA Inc. proposed a public offering of senior notes to raise proceeds for general corporate purposes and possible debt repayment — typical capital markets activity but could slightly change leverage depending on deal sizing and terms. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Company projects 2%–3% volume growth while maintaining 2026 outlook, but flags a $600M–$900M headwind tied to ACA/exchange dynamics — growth outlook is intact but offset by payer mix risks. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and coverage note a meaningful ACA-related revenue drag — HCA still expects up to a $900M hit from exchange/ACA headwinds, which pressures margins and near-term EPS. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Deep-dive pieces highlight lower seasonal volumes and a shifting payer mix that weighed on Q1 and investor sentiment, providing context for recent share weakness. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple outlets explain why shares slid after Q1 results and commentary — the combination of seasonal softness, payer shifts and ACA exposure is the main driver of negative near-term sentiment. Article Title

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.

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