Ieq Capital LLC Acquires 11,494 Shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS)

Ieq Capital LLC lifted its stake in Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) by 420.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,228 shares of the health services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 11,494 shares during the quarter. Ieq Capital LLC’s holdings in Universal Health Services were worth $2,553,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. R Squared Ltd bought a new stake in Universal Health Services in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Financial Management Professionals Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Universal Health Services in the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Quent Capital LLC boosted its stake in Universal Health Services by 118.3% in the 4th quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 179 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. True Wealth Design LLC bought a new stake in Universal Health Services during the 3rd quarter valued at about $39,000. Finally, Huntington National Bank increased its stake in Universal Health Services by 414.3% during the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 180 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 145 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on shares of Universal Health Services from $222.00 to $211.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $226.00 target price on shares of Universal Health Services in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. TD Cowen lowered their price target on Universal Health Services from $275.00 to $251.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 26th. Bank of America initiated coverage on Universal Health Services in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $223.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lowered Universal Health Services from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $228.00 to $198.00 in a research report on Monday, December 16th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Universal Health Services presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $226.14.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal Health Services

In other Universal Health Services news, Director Maria Ruderman Singer sold 1,614 shares of Universal Health Services stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $191.15, for a total transaction of $308,516.10. Following the transaction, the director now owns 5,879 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,123,770.85. The trade was a 21.54 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 16.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Universal Health Services Trading Down 2.3 %

Shares of Universal Health Services stock opened at $179.93 on Friday. Universal Health Services, Inc. has a 1-year low of $152.68 and a 1-year high of $243.25. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $184.27 and its 200-day simple moving average is $206.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 1.28. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.87 billion, a PE ratio of 11.96, a P/E/G ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.30.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd will be issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.44%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 3rd. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio is presently 5.32%.

Universal Health Services 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.