HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Price Target Cut to $520.00 by Analysts at Oppenheimer

Key Points

• Oppenheimer cut its price target on HCA from $540 to $520 while maintaining an "outperform" rating, implying about a 19% upside; MarketBeat shows a consensus average target of $521.73 and a "Moderate Buy" consensus (16 Buy, 7 Hold, 1 Sell).
• HCA reported Q1 EPS of $7.15 versus $7.19 expected (a slight miss) and revenue of $19.11B roughly in line with estimates, set FY2026 guidance of 29.10–31.50 EPS (analysts ~30.15), but warned of a $600M–$900M ACA/exchange headwind that could pressure near‑term margins.
• Shares opened around $436.68 (12‑month range $326.14–$556.52) with a market cap near $97.6B, and insiders have sold roughly 15,214 shares (~$7.8M) over the past 90 days (insiders own 1.5%).

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) had its price target dropped by Oppenheimer from $540.00 to $520.00 in a note issued to investors on Monday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an "outperform" rating on the stock. Oppenheimer's target price indicates a potential upside of 19.08% from the company's previous close.

A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on HCA. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $541.00 price target on HCA Healthcare in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their target price on HCA Healthcare from $593.00 to $534.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of HCA Healthcare from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, February 14th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "buy (b)" rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $500.00 to $558.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, HCA Healthcare presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $521.73.

HCA Healthcare Trading Up 1.0%

Shares of HCA stock opened at $436.68 on Monday. HCA Healthcare has a twelve month low of $326.14 and a twelve month high of $556.52. The company has a market capitalization of $97.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.20, a PEG ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 1.36. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $505.45 and a 200 day moving average price of $485.81.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) last posted 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 firm had revenue of $19.11 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.09 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $6.45 EPS. The business's quarterly 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. As a group, research analysts predict that HCA Healthcare will post 30.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Michael S. Cuffe sold 1,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $498.09, for a total transaction of $747,135.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 30,003 shares in the company, valued at $14,944,194.27. This trade represents a 4.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Christopher F. Wyatt sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $505.00, for a total value of $2,020,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 44,379 shares of the company's stock, valued at $22,411,395. This represents a 8.27% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 15,214 shares of company stock valued at $7,797,595 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 1.50% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On HCA Healthcare

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