HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Downgraded by StockNews.com to “Buy”

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) was downgraded by investment analysts at StockNews.com from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday.

A number of other brokerages have also commented on HCA. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on HCA Healthcare from $330.00 to $359.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 12th. Raymond James upped their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $300.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on HCA Healthcare from $303.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, March 28th. Barclays lifted their price target on HCA Healthcare from $356.00 to $367.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, April 29th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $335.00 target price on shares of HCA Healthcare in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $316.59.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance

Shares of HCA opened at $321.90 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $84.31 billion, a PE ratio of 16.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 1.66. HCA Healthcare has a 12-month low of $215.96 and a 12-month high of $335.83. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $321.17 and its 200 day moving average price is $299.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.26, a current ratio of 1.16 and a quick ratio of 1.02.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 26th. The company reported $5.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.01 by $0.35. The business had revenue of $17.34 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.81 billion. HCA Healthcare had a return on equity of 674.49% and a net margin of 8.20%. The business’s revenue was up 11.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.93 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that HCA Healthcare will post 20.74 EPS for the current year.

HCA Healthcare declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Tuesday, January 30th that authorizes the company to buyback $6.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to reacquire up to 7.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally an indication that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other HCA Healthcare news, EVP Michael S. Cuffe sold 1,600 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $309.00, for a total transaction of $494,400.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 34,124 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,544,316. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, SVP Kathryn A. Torres sold 973 shares of HCA Healthcare stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $312.00, for a total transaction of $303,576.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 22,365 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,977,880. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Michael S. Cuffe sold 1,600 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $309.00, for a total value of $494,400.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 34,124 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,544,316. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 3,793 shares of company stock valued at $1,198,033. Insiders own 1.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Stone House Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Centerpoint Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in HCA Healthcare during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in HCA Healthcare in the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.73% of the company’s stock.

About HCA Healthcare

HCA Healthcare, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates hospitals and related healthcare entities in the United States. It 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.