HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA – Get Free Report) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 28.700-30.500 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 30.170. The company issued revenue guidance of $77.0 billion-$79.5 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $78.6 billion. HCA Healthcare also updated its Q2 2026 guidance to 7.590-7.590 EPS.
HCA Healthcare Price Performance
HCA stock opened at $364.46 on Wednesday. HCA Healthcare has a fifty-two week low of $330.00 and a fifty-two week high of $556.52. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $395.39 and a 200 day moving average price of $458.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $80.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 1.12.
HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 24th. The company reported $7.15 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.19 by ($0.04). HCA Healthcare had a negative return on equity of 295.93% and a net margin of 8.89%.The firm had revenue of $19.11 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.09 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $6.45 earnings per share. The business’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. On average, equities analysts expect that HCA Healthcare will post 30.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
HCA Healthcare Dividend Announcement
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of analysts recently issued reports on HCA shares. KeyCorp lowered their target price on HCA Healthcare from $510.00 to $475.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on HCA Healthcare from $450.00 to $442.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $593.00 to $534.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on HCA Healthcare from $535.00 to $490.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $450.00 target price on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research report on Tuesday. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, HCA Healthcare currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $491.77.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on HCA
HCA Healthcare News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting HCA Healthcare this week:
- Positive Sentiment: HCA’s preliminary second-quarter revenue came in above Wall Street expectations, showing that patient volumes and top-line demand remain solid. HCA reports preliminary quarterly revenue above expectations
- Positive Sentiment: KeyCorp and Wells Fargo kept constructive ratings on HCA, with price targets implying upside from current levels, suggesting some analysts still see long-term value despite near-term headwinds.
- Neutral Sentiment: An upgrade on Seeking Alpha argued the stock already reflects much of the bad news, citing a large one-time Medicaid payment that boosted Q2 results and a free-cash-flow run rate near $6 billion.
- Negative Sentiment: HCA cut its 2026 earnings guidance to about $28.70-$30.50 per share, below prior expectations, as payer mix worsened and more patients shifted to uninsured or lower-paying coverage. HCA drops after lowering annual earnings outlook on payer mix headwinds
- Negative Sentiment: Management warned that treating more uninsured patients could trim roughly $1 billion from profits, while federal policy changes and declining surgeries are adding margin pressure. Hospital chain HCA warns of lower profits as more patients go uninsured
- Negative Sentiment: Several reports noted that HCA’s quarterly earnings were squeezed by payer-mix shifts tied to health insurance exchanges, reinforcing concerns that profitability could stay under pressure. HCA Healthcare Shares Drop After Quarterly Earnings Squeezed by Payer Mix Shifts
Institutional Trading of HCA Healthcare
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Palisade Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the third quarter worth about $26,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the 3rd quarter valued at about $33,000. Greenline Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $42,000. EFG International AG bought a new position in HCA Healthcare during the fourth quarter valued at about $44,000. Finally, Triumph Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $51,000. 62.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
About HCA Healthcare
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.
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