Barclays Reaffirms “Equal Weight” Rating for HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA)

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA)‘s stock had its “equal weight” rating reiterated by investment analysts at Barclays in a research report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $427.00 price target on the stock, down from their prior price target of $496.00. Barclays‘s price target would suggest a potential upside of 0.93% from the stock’s previous close.

HCA has been the topic of a number of other research reports. KeyCorp reduced their target price on HCA Healthcare from $550.00 to $510.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 27th. Stephens reduced their price target on HCA Healthcare from $560.00 to $530.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $481.00 to $436.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $535.00 to $490.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut shares of HCA Healthcare from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, May 2nd. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $497.14.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance

Shares of HCA stock opened at $423.06 on Wednesday. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $399.31 and its 200-day moving average price is $461.62. HCA Healthcare has a fifty-two week low of $330.00 and a fifty-two week high of $556.52. The firm has a market cap of $93.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.55, a P/E/G ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 1.12.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last issued 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 company had revenue of $19.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.09 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $6.45 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.3% compared to the same quarter last year. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that HCA Healthcare will post 30.07 EPS for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On HCA Healthcare

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Palisade Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC bought a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare in the first quarter worth $33,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in HCA Healthcare in the third quarter valued at about $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.73% of the company’s stock.

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.