Sanford C. Bernstein Lowers HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Price Target to $503.00

Key Points

• Sanford C. Bernstein cut its HCA price target to $503 from $541 and retained a "market perform" rating, implying about a 13.7% upside from the prior close.
• The analyst consensus is a "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $520.55 (16 Buys, 7 Holds, 1 Sell), reflecting mixed but generally positive sentiment.
• HCA slightly missed Q1 EPS ($7.15 vs. $7.19 est.), disclosed an ~$150M Q1 hit from an ACA subsidy lapse and warned of larger ACA-related pressures, while guiding FY2026 to 29.10–31.50 EPS, which led several analysts to trim forecasts.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) had its price objective decreased by equities researchers at Sanford C. Bernstein from $541.00 to $503.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,MarketScreener reports. The firm presently has a "market perform" rating on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein's price target suggests a potential upside of 13.69% from the company's previous close.

HCA has been the topic of a number of other reports. 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 note on Wednesday, April 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $420.00 to $535.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, February 20th. Oppenheimer dropped their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $540.00 to $520.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $520.00 to $558.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $593.00 to $534.00 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 assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $520.55.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:HCA opened at $442.42 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $98.91 billion, a PE ratio of 15.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 1.36. HCA Healthcare has a 52-week low of $329.72 and a 52-week high of $556.52. The company has a fifty day moving average of $503.58 and a 200-day moving average of $486.01.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 24th. The company reported $7.15 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $7.19 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $19.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.09 billion. HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.89% and a negative return on equity of 295.93%. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 4.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $6.45 earnings per share. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that HCA Healthcare will post 30.15 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other HCA Healthcare news, EVP Michael R. Mcalevey sold 1,694 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $533.37, for a total value of $903,528.78. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 8,853 shares in the company, valued at $4,721,924.61. This represents a 16.06% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Christopher F. Wyatt sold 4,000 shares of the firm's 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 sale, the senior vice president directly owned 44,379 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,411,395. The trade was a 8.27% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 15,214 shares of company stock valued at $7,797,595 over the last ninety days. 1.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On HCA Healthcare

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. V Square Quantitative Management LLC increased its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 2.0% in the first quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 3,627 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,716,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares during the period. HB Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in HCA Healthcare by 6.4% in the first quarter. HB Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,728 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,658,000 after acquiring an additional 462 shares in the last quarter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 11.6% in the 1st quarter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,039 shares of the company's stock worth $492,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 4.0% during the first quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 5,993 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,836,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Optas LLC boosted its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 15.5% during the 1st quarter. Optas LLC now owns 1,160 shares of the company's stock valued at $549,000 after acquiring an additional 156 shares during the last quarter. 62.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about HCA Healthcare

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

• Positive Sentiment: Management says improvements in HCA’s revenue-cycle operations are producing measurable benefits, supporting cash flow and margins as denials and underpayments rise. HCA’s strengthened revenue cycle paying dividends, CFO says
• Positive Sentiment: HCA is expanding capacity: a new $231M HCA Florida hospital is set to open in May, which should add local revenue and volume over time. $231M HCA Florida hospital to open in May
• Positive Sentiment: Local openings (e.g., HCA Florida Gainesville) signal ongoing organic growth and market penetration in key Florida markets. HCA Florida Gainesville Hospital prepares to 'receive and serve’
• Neutral Sentiment: HCA announced a proposed public offering of senior notes to raise capital for general corporate purposes (could be used to refinance debt); market reaction depends on terms when priced. HCA Announces Proposed Public Offering of Senior Notes
• Neutral Sentiment: Leadership hire: Cynthia Cifuentes-Finkel named SVP of Marketing & Corporate Affairs — a governance/communications move that supports enterprise growth and investor outreach. HCA Healthcare Names Cynthia Cifuentes-Finkel Senior Vice President
• Neutral Sentiment: Human-interest community event coverage (e.g., NICU reunion) provides local PR but has limited financial impact. HCA Gulf Coast Hospital NICU reunion for patients & families
• Negative Sentiment: Policy headwinds: a lapse in ACA subsidies cost HCA roughly $150M in Q1 — a direct hit to near-term revenue and margins. ACA subsidy lapse cost HCA Healthcare $150M in Q1
• Negative Sentiment: Management still expects a material ACA-related hit (management cited as much as $600M–$900M in some disclosures), and noted lower seasonal volumes plus shifting payer mix that weighed on Q1 guidance sensitivity. HCA projects 2% to 3% volume growth while holding 2026 outlook amid $600M to $900M exchange headwind
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts reacted by trimming forecasts and cutting price targets after Q1 commentary — multiple firms reduced their PTs (examples: TD Cowen, Leerink, Oppenheimer, Truist, RBC, Stephens), increasing near-term selling pressure. These Analysts Slash Their Forecasts On HCA After Q1 Results

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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