HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Price Target Cut to $500.00 by Analysts at TD Cowen

Key Points

• TD Cowen cut its price target to $500 (from $561) but kept a "buy" rating, a level that implies roughly a 14.5% upside from the stock's current price.
• HCA's Q1 results showed EPS of $7.15 (missed by $0.04) and revenue of $19.11 billion, while management reaffirmed FY2026 guidance of 29.10–31.50 EPS (analysts average ~30.15).
• The company flagged a meaningful ACA/exchange-related headwind of $600M–$900M and lower seasonal volumes/payer-mix shifts, which have pressured near-term sentiment despite a majority of analysts remaining positive.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) had its price target decreased by equities research analysts at TD Cowen from $561.00 to $500.00 in a research note issued to investors on Monday,MarketScreener reports. The firm presently has a "buy" rating on the stock. TD Cowen's target price would indicate a potential upside of 14.50% from the stock's current price.

Several other research firms have also commented on HCA. KeyCorp set a $510.00 price target on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research report on Monday. Argus boosted their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $530.00 to $560.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $450.00 to $442.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $593.00 to $534.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Monday. Finally, Leerink Partners reduced their target price on HCA Healthcare from $573.00 to $500.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $521.73.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance

NYSE HCA opened at $436.68 on Monday. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $505.45 and its 200-day moving average price is $485.81. The company has a market cap of $97.63 billion, a PE ratio of 15.20, a P/E/G ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 1.36. HCA Healthcare has a 52-week low of $326.14 and a 52-week high of $556.52.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 24th. The company reported $7.15 earnings per share (EPS) 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 company had revenue of $19.11 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $19.09 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $6.45 earnings per share. The company's revenue 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. On average, analysts forecast that HCA Healthcare will post 30.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at HCA Healthcare

In other HCA Healthcare news, EVP Michael R. Mcalevey sold 1,694 shares of HCA Healthcare stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $533.37, for a total transaction of $903,528.78. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 8,853 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,721,924.61. The trade was a 16.06% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Michael S. Cuffe sold 1,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $498.09, for a total transaction of $747,135.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 30,003 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $14,944,194.27. This trade represents a 4.76% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 15,214 shares of company stock valued at $7,797,595 over the last three months. Company insiders own 1.50% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of HCA Healthcare

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Palisade Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in HCA Healthcare in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new stake in HCA Healthcare during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in HCA Healthcare by 82.9% in the third quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 75 shares of the company's stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter worth about $33,000. 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: 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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