$3.94 Earnings Per Share Expected for HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) This Quarter

Equities research analysts expect that HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA – Get Rating) will report earnings of $3.94 per share for the current fiscal quarter, Zacks Investment Research reports. Seven analysts have made estimates for HCA Healthcare’s earnings, with estimates ranging from $3.62 to $4.14. HCA Healthcare posted earnings of $4.37 per share during the same quarter last year, which suggests a negative year-over-year growth rate of 9.8%. The company is scheduled to announce its next quarterly earnings results on Monday, January 1st.

On average, analysts expect that HCA Healthcare will report full year earnings of $17.36 per share for the current financial year, with EPS estimates ranging from $16.90 to $19.05. For the next fiscal year, analysts anticipate that the business will post earnings of $19.19 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $18.18 to $20.80. Zacks’ earnings per share averages are an average based on a survey of sell-side analysts that that provide coverage for HCA Healthcare.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA – Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 22nd. The company reported $4.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.25 by ($0.13). HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 11.40% and a return on equity of 405.72%. The business had revenue of $14.95 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.72 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.14 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis.

HCA has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Cowen dropped their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $265.00 to $241.00 in a report on Monday, April 25th. Truist Financial reduced their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $310.00 to $250.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 25th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on HCA Healthcare from $310.00 to $275.00 in a research report on Monday, April 25th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $275.00 to $240.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 26th. Finally, SVB Leerink decreased their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $304.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 25th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, HCA Healthcare presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $260.64.

Shares of NYSE:HCA opened at $214.55 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $64.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.10, a P/E/G ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 1.60. HCA Healthcare has a 1-year low of $199.76 and a 1-year high of $279.02. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $253.29 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $248.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 87.46, a current ratio of 1.43 and a quick ratio of 1.24.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 16th will be paid a $0.56 dividend. This represents a $2.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 15th. HCA Healthcare’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.54%.

HCA Healthcare announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program on Thursday, January 27th that authorizes the company to buyback $8.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to repurchase up to 10.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

In other HCA Healthcare news, SVP Joseph A. Sowell III sold 11,522 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $269.00, for a total value of $3,099,418.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, insider A Bruce Moore, Jr. sold 20,633 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $244.01, for a total value of $5,034,658.33. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Equitec Proprietary Markets LLC acquired a new stake in HCA Healthcare during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Baltimore Washington Financial Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Amplius Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in HCA Healthcare in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. PYA Waltman Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Ellevest Inc. grew its holdings in HCA Healthcare by 1,172.7% in the fourth quarter. Ellevest Inc. now owns 140 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 129 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.87% of the company’s stock.

HCA Healthcare Company Profile (Get Rating)

HCA Healthcare, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides health care services company in the United States. The company operates general and acute care hospitals that offers medical and surgical services, including inpatient care, intensive care, cardiac care, diagnostic, and emergency services; and outpatient services, such as outpatient surgery, laboratory, radiology, respiratory therapy, cardiology, and physical therapy.

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