Kentucky Retirement Systems Reduces Holdings in Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS)

Kentucky Retirement Systems lowered its position in shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) by 5.1% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 4,633 shares of the health services provider’s stock after selling 248 shares during the period. Kentucky Retirement Systems’ holdings in Universal Health Services were worth $845,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services by 16.7% during the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 53,239 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $8,116,000 after purchasing an additional 7,616 shares in the last quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. lifted its position in Universal Health Services by 5.2% in the 4th quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. now owns 29,932 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $4,570,000 after acquiring an additional 1,476 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Universal Health Services by 4,906.0% in the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 3,354 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $511,000 after buying an additional 3,287 shares in the last quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale lifted its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services by 7.2% in the 4th quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 3,383 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $516,000 after acquiring an additional 228 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GHP Investment Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 4.1% during the fourth quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 34,178 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $5,210,000 after acquiring an additional 1,350 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UHS has been the subject of several research reports. Baird R W upgraded shares of Universal Health Services from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 26th. Stephens reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and issued a $200.00 price target on shares of Universal Health Services in a research report on Thursday. Cantor Fitzgerald raised Universal Health Services from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $162.00 to $219.00 in a report on Friday. UBS Group upgraded Universal Health Services from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $189.00 to $226.00 in a report on Monday, May 20th. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of Universal Health Services from $183.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Universal Health Services presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $209.00.

Universal Health Services Price Performance

UHS stock traded up $5.22 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $218.91. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 321,663 shares, compared to its average volume of 642,796. The stock has a market cap of $14.65 billion, a PE ratio of 18.51, a P/E/G ratio of 0.82 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. Universal Health Services, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $119.90 and a fifty-two week high of $219.61. The company’s 50 day moving average is $185.59 and its two-hundred day moving average is $174.10.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The health services provider reported $4.31 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.37 by $0.94. The business had revenue of $3.91 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.87 billion. Universal Health Services had a net margin of 6.22% and a return on equity of 14.91%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.53 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that Universal Health Services, Inc. will post 16.03 EPS for the current year.

Universal Health Services declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Wednesday, July 24th that allows the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the health services provider to repurchase up to 8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.37%. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 6.78%.

Universal Health Services Company Profile

Universal Health Services, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates acute care hospitals, and outpatient and behavioral health care facilities. It operates through Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments. The company's hospitals offer general and specialty surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic and coronary care, pediatric services, pharmacy services, and/or behavioral health services.