HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Rating Lowered to Hold at Baird R W

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) was downgraded by stock analysts at Baird R W from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on HCA Healthcare from $406.00 to $355.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. Guggenheim began coverage on shares of HCA Healthcare in a report on Wednesday, April 9th. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Truist Financial dropped their target price on HCA Healthcare from $430.00 to $390.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 6th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $405.00 target price on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research note on Monday, January 27th. Finally, Robert W. Baird reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $336.00 price target (down from $396.00) on shares of HCA Healthcare in a report on Tuesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $381.67.

HCA Healthcare Trading Down 1.2 %

Shares of HCA opened at $331.41 on Tuesday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $328.02 and its 200-day moving average price is $335.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $81.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.08, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 1.48. The company has a current ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 69.07. HCA Healthcare has a 1-year low of $289.98 and a 1-year high of $417.14.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 24th. The company reported $6.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.03 by $0.19. HCA Healthcare had a return on equity of 586.47% and a net margin of 8.16%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $5.90 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that HCA Healthcare will post 24.98 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at HCA Healthcare

In related news, SVP Jennifer Berres sold 9,533 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $322.59, for a total value of $3,075,250.47. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 15,412 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,971,757.08. This trade represents a 38.22 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of HCA Healthcare

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE lifted its stake in shares of HCA Healthcare by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE now owns 1,039 shares of the company’s stock valued at $312,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in HCA Healthcare by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC now owns 12,787 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,838,000 after buying an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd grew its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd now owns 10,592 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,153,000 after buying an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Prairie Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its stake in HCA Healthcare by 6.1% in the fourth quarter. Prairie Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 700 shares of the company’s stock valued at $210,000 after buying an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. lifted its stake in HCA Healthcare by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 1,195 shares of the company’s stock worth $359,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.73% of the company’s stock.

HCA Healthcare Company Profile

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.