HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Updates Q2 2026 Earnings Guidance

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) issued an update on its second quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 7.590-7.590 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 7.410. The company issued revenue guidance of $20.2 billion-$20.2 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $19.4 billion. HCA Healthcare also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 28.700-30.500 EPS.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $500.00 to $431.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $535.00 to $490.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of HCA Healthcare from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 2nd. Truist Financial set a $413.00 price objective on HCA Healthcare in a report on Thursday, June 4th. Finally, Argus dropped their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $560.00 to $500.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $487.27.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance

NYSE HCA opened at $380.00 on Thursday. HCA Healthcare has a twelve month low of $330.00 and a twelve month high of $556.52. The stock has a market cap of $84.30 billion, a PE ratio of 13.07, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.12. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $394.38 and a 200 day simple moving average of $458.29.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 24th. The company reported $7.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.19 by ($0.04). HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.89% and a negative return on equity of 295.93%. The firm had revenue of $19.11 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.09 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $6.45 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. Research analysts forecast that HCA Healthcare will post 29.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

HCA Healthcare Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th were given a $0.78 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, June 16th. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. HCA Healthcare’s payout ratio is 10.73%.

HCA Healthcare News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting HCA Healthcare this week:

• Positive Sentiment: HCA’s preliminary second-quarter revenue was reported above Wall Street expectations, signaling that demand and patient volumes remain solid even as margins come under pressure.
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts still see the stock as undervalued after its recent pullback, and at least one note maintained an overweight/positive stance despite trimming price targets.
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary says the stock may still trade at a discount based on longer-term earnings and cash flow potential, implying valuation support if policy headwinds ease.
• Negative Sentiment: HCA cut its 2026 earnings outlook after a less favorable payer mix and more uninsured patients reduced profitability, raising concerns about margin compression.
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage changes and price-target cuts from brokers, including Barclays and KeyCorp, reflect increased caution around policy risks and earnings visibility.
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that federal policy changes could cost HCA about $400 million and that uninsured patient trends may trim profits by about $1 billion have further pressured sentiment.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On HCA Healthcare

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Cambient Family Office LLC bought a new position in HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth approximately $232,000. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of HCA Healthcare by 16.6% in the 4th quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,034 shares of the company’s stock valued at $950,000 after buying an additional 289 shares during the period. Compound Planning Inc. lifted its stake in shares of HCA Healthcare by 23.5% during the fourth quarter. Compound Planning Inc. now owns 1,995 shares of the company’s stock valued at $932,000 after acquiring an additional 380 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. increased its position in HCA Healthcare by 3.4% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,138,179 shares of the company’s stock worth $531,370,000 after purchasing an additional 37,250 shares during the period. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in HCA Healthcare by 421.4% during the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 219,276 shares of the company’s stock valued at $102,371,000 after purchasing an additional 177,223 shares during the period. 62.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

HCA Healthcare Company Profile

HCA Healthcare is a for‑profit operator of healthcare facilities headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1968, the company owns and operates a network of hospitals and related healthcare facilities and has grown through organic expansion and acquisitions to become a large provider of inpatient and outpatient services.

The company’s core activities include the operation of acute care hospitals, freestanding surgical and emergency centers, and outpatient clinics. HCA’s services encompass inpatient care, surgical services, emergency medicine, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing, and various outpatient and ambulatory care offerings.