First Trust Advisors LP Lowers Stock Holdings in Universal Health Services, Inc. $UHS

First Trust Advisors LP reduced its position in Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) by 6.6% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 190,964 shares of the health services provider’s stock after selling 13,446 shares during the quarter. First Trust Advisors LP owned 0.30% of Universal Health Services worth $39,041,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of UHS. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. lifted its position in Universal Health Services by 320.0% in the 3rd quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 126 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Universal Health Services in the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC bought a new position in Universal Health Services during the second quarter valued at approximately $29,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new position in shares of Universal Health Services during the second quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Quent Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Universal Health Services during the third quarter worth approximately $37,000. 86.05% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald cut their price objective on shares of Universal Health Services from $250.00 to $229.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 27th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $262.00 to $268.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Universal Health Services in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut 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 report on Monday, March 2nd. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $232.21.

Key Universal Health Services News

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

• Positive Sentiment: UHS agreed to acquire Talkspace for $5.25/share (~$835M enterprise value), expanding its digital behavioral‑health footprint and adding teletherapy capabilities that can boost revenue mix and referral channels; the deal is being financed with borrowings under UHS’s revolver (modest size relative to UHS’s market cap). Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) Announces Agreement to Acquire Talkspace (TALK) for $5.25 Per Share
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised several near‑term and FY2026 EPS estimates (including Q1 2026, Q3 2026, Q4 2026 and FY2026), signaling slightly stronger near‑term earnings momentum than prior forecasts—supportive for near‑term sentiment despite the analyst holding a “Hold” rating. MarketBeat UHS coverage (Zacks note)
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks published FY2028 estimates (FY2028 EPS ~ $26.80) and refreshed a slate of multi‑year forecasts; these provide longer‑term modeling inputs but no rating change, so impact is informational. MarketBeat UHS coverage (FY2028 estimate)
• Neutral Sentiment: UHS also attracted attention in S&P 500 healthcare coverage pieces today (coverage/flow can amplify intraday moves but doesn’t change fundamentals). Universal Health (NYSE:UHS) Gains Attention In S&P 500 Today Healthcare
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed several 2027 quarter and full‑year EPS estimates (Q2–Q4 2027 and FY2027 were lowered modestly), which could temper medium‑term sentiment and suggests some caution in later‑year growth expectations. MarketBeat UHS coverage (Zacks estimate cuts)

Universal Health Services Stock Performance

Universal Health Services stock opened at $190.54 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The firm has a market cap of $11.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.23, a P/E/G ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 1.26. Universal Health Services, Inc. has a 1-year low of $152.33 and a 1-year high of $246.32. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $210.56 and a 200-day moving average of $211.58.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The health services provider reported $5.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.92 by ($0.04). Universal Health Services had a net margin of 8.57% and a return on equity of 19.65%. The business had revenue of $4.49 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.50 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.92 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. Universal Health Services has set its FY 2026 guidance at 22.640-24.520 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 15.92 EPS for the current year.

Universal Health Services Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Monday, March 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 3.46%.

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.