Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Price Target Raised to $189.00

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) had its target price boosted by equities research analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from $183.00 to $189.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “sector perform” rating on the health services provider’s stock. Royal Bank of Canada’s target price points to a potential upside of 11.52% from the stock’s previous close.

UHS has been the topic of several other reports. Barclays upped their price objective on Universal Health Services from $181.00 to $189.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, April 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Universal Health Services from $170.00 to $189.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, March 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Universal Health Services from $144.00 to $182.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price objective on Universal Health Services from $208.00 to $203.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Universal Health Services from $195.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Universal Health Services presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $183.20.

Universal Health Services Stock Down 0.0 %

Universal Health Services stock opened at $169.47 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a current ratio of 1.38. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 1.26. Universal Health Services has a fifty-two week low of $119.90 and a fifty-two week high of $183.61. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $171.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $155.92.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 24th. The health services provider reported $3.70 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.14 by $0.56. The company had revenue of $3.84 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.78 billion. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 13.34% and a net margin of 5.57%. Universal Health Services’s revenue was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.34 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Universal Health Services will post 13.51 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO Steve Filton sold 35,000 shares of Universal Health Services stock in a transaction on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $176.82, for a total transaction of $6,188,700.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 68,785 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,162,563.70. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 16.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal Health Services

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. acquired a new stake in Universal Health Services in the first quarter valued at approximately $32,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 42.8% during the third quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 267 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the period. Mather Group LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of Universal Health Services during the first quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Universal Health Services during the first quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Denali Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Universal Health Services during the first quarter valued at approximately $37,000. 86.05% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Universal Health Services

Universal Health Services, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates acute care hospitals, and outpatient and behavioral health care facilities. It operates through Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments. The company's hospitals offer general and specialty surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic and coronary care, pediatric services, pharmacy services, and/or behavioral health services.