Cantor Fitzgerald Reiterates Overweight Rating for HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA)

Cantor Fitzgerald restated their overweight rating on shares of HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) in a research note released on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a $335.00 price target on the stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also commented on the company. StockNews.com upgraded HCA Healthcare from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $359.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, June 28th. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $371.00 to $360.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 30th. Robert W. Baird assumed coverage on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. They set an outperform rating and a $396.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Baird R W raised HCA Healthcare to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $339.72.

HCA Healthcare Price Performance

Shares of HCA opened at $354.78 on Wednesday. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $330.12 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $323.11. HCA Healthcare has a 12-month low of $215.96 and a 12-month high of $356.30. The stock has a market cap of $92.92 billion, a PE ratio of 17.69, a PEG ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.68. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 27.11.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The company reported $5.50 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.97 by $0.53. The business had revenue of $17.49 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.05 billion. HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.40% and a return on equity of 553.13%. The firm’s revenue was up 10.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $4.29 EPS. Analysts anticipate that HCA Healthcare will post 22.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

HCA Healthcare Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.66 per share. This represents a $2.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.74%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16th. HCA Healthcare’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 13.16%.

Insider Activity

In other HCA Healthcare news, SVP Kathryn A. Torres sold 973 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $312.00, for a total value of $303,576.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 22,365 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,977,880. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other HCA Healthcare news, EVP Michael S. Cuffe sold 1,600 shares of HCA Healthcare stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $309.00, for a total value of $494,400.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 34,124 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,544,316. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Kathryn A. Torres sold 973 shares of HCA Healthcare stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $312.00, for a total transaction of $303,576.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 22,365 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,977,880. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 12,397 shares of company stock worth $3,921,929 over the last quarter. Insiders own 1.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On HCA Healthcare

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Unique Wealth Strategies LLC purchased a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Bangor Savings Bank increased its holdings in HCA Healthcare by 112.5% in the 2nd quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 85 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC boosted its stake in HCA Healthcare by 284.0% in the 2nd quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 96 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the period. Finally, Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.73% of the company’s stock.

About HCA Healthcare

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.