Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) Receives Consensus Rating of "Hold" from Brokerages

Key Points

• Fifteen brokerages give UHS an average recommendation of Hold (1 sell, 9 hold, 5 buy) with a 12‑month average price target of $227.50.
• UHS beat Q1 expectations—reporting $5.62 EPS vs $5.36 consensus and $4.50B revenue (up ~9.6% YoY)—and issued FY‑2026 EPS guidance of 22.640–24.520, but the stock fell about 10% amid rising operating costs and investor uncertainty over the wide guidance range.
• The company has a market cap of roughly $9.87B and a low valuation (PE ~6.73), and it recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.20 (≈0.5% yield).

Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS - Get Free Report) has earned an average recommendation of "Hold" from the fifteen brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $227.50.

Several research analysts have issued reports on UHS shares. Zacks Research lowered Universal Health Services from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Universal Health Services from $235.00 to $212.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Universal Health Services from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Universal Health Services from $268.00 to $238.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Thursday, January 15th.

Universal Health Services Stock Down 10.0%

Shares of NYSE:UHS opened at $161.56 on Wednesday. Universal Health Services has a 1 year low of $152.33 and a 1 year high of $246.32. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $191.57 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $209.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.87 billion, a PE ratio of 6.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.82 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.98.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, April 27th. The health services provider reported $5.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.36 by $0.26. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 19.78% and a net margin of 8.56%.The business had revenue of $4.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.39 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.84 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Universal Health Services has set its FY 2026 guidance at 22.640-24.520 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Universal Health Services will post 23.4 EPS for the current year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd were paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 2nd. Universal Health Services's payout ratio is currently 3.46%.

Institutional Trading of Universal Health Services

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of UHS. Elyxium Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Universal Health Services during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 320.0% during the third quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 126 shares of the health services provider's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Universal Health Services during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Universal Health Services in the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Founders Capital Management bought a new position in Universal Health Services in the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Institutional investors own 86.05% of the company's stock.

More Universal Health Services News

Here are the key news stories impacting Universal Health Services this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings and revenue beat — UHS reported $5.62 EPS (above consensus) and $4.50B in revenue, with revenue up ~9.6% year‑over‑year; net income and adjusted EPS also rose versus last year. PR Newswire: UHS Q1 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Behavioral‑health strength drove growth — management cited higher behavioral‑health admissions and patient days as key revenue drivers this quarter. Zacks: UHS Q1 Beat
• Neutral Sentiment: FY‑2026 guidance issued — UHS gave an EPS range of 22.640–24.520 and revenue guidance roughly in line with the Street (about $18.4B–$18.8B). The range includes the consensus but the wide band signals possible variability in outcomes. UHS Press Release / Guidance
• Negative Sentiment: Rising operating costs — multiple reports flagged higher operating costs during the quarter, which could compress margins even as revenues grow. That cost pressure is likely a key reason investors sold into the beat. Zacks: Costs Comment
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction / uncertainty — despite the beat, the combination of cost pressure and a guidance range with a lower bound below some expectations appears to have increased uncertainty, triggering heavier trading and a sell‑off. Read the earnings‑call transcript for management tone and detail. Seeking Alpha: Q1 2026 Call Transcript

About Universal Health Services

Universal Health Services, Inc NYSE: UHS is one of the largest diversified health care management companies in the United States, offering a broad spectrum of services through its acute care hospital and behavioral health segments. The company operates general acute care hospitals, surgical hospitals and ambulatory centers, as well as inpatient and outpatient behavioral health facilities. Its network provides emergency and specialized medicine, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, advanced surgical care and rehabilitation, complemented by a comprehensive array of behavioral services including psychiatric treatment, addiction programs and developmental disabilities care.

In the acute care segment, UHS's facilities deliver services ranging from emergency department treatment and intensive care to maternity care and outpatient surgery.

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