Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) Receives $232.21 Consensus Target Price from Brokerages

Shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the sixteen brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $232.2143.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on UHS. Cantor Fitzgerald lowered their target price on Universal Health Services from $250.00 to $229.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 27th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Universal Health Services in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Universal Health Services from $262.00 to $268.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. TD Cowen dropped their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $251.00 to $245.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered shares of Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd.

Universal Health Services News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Universal Health Services this week:

• Positive Sentiment: UHS agreed to acquire Talkspace for $5.25 per share (enterprise value ≈ $835M). The deal expands UHS’s behavioral-health and virtual-care footprint, which could accelerate digital revenue growth and cross-sell opportunities; the purchase will be financed with borrowings under UHS’s revolver. UHS Announces Agreement to Acquire Talkspace
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its FY2026 EPS view for UHS (now $23.11 from $22.86) and nudged several near-term quarter estimates up (notably Q1 2026). Upward revisions to FY2026 support near-term earnings visibility versus prior forecasts. Zacks Research raises FY2026 estimate
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks issued multiple small, mixed quarter-by-quarter changes (some quarters up slightly, some trimmed by cents). They also published an FY2028 estimate ($26.80) while maintaining a “Hold” rating — signaling neither a strong buy nor sell tilt from this research house. Zacks Research mixed estimate revisions
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed several 2027 quarter estimates and lowered FY2027 EPS to $24.74 (from $25.14). Those downward revisions reflect some near-term growth moderation expectations and could weigh on sentiment if similar cuts follow from other firms. Zacks Research lowers FY2027 estimate

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Health Services

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Corient Private Wealth LLC increased its position in Universal Health Services by 51.4% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 54,975 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $11,988,000 after buying an additional 18,652 shares in the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC boosted its holdings in Universal Health Services by 33.1% in the fourth quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 119,561 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $26,136,000 after acquiring an additional 29,717 shares in the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in Universal Health Services in the fourth quarter worth approximately $106,000. DGS Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Universal Health Services by 13.6% in the fourth quarter. DGS Capital Management LLC now owns 11,009 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $2,400,000 after acquiring an additional 1,314 shares during the period. Finally, SG Trading Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in Universal Health Services in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $227,000. Institutional investors own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Universal Health Services Stock Performance

Shares of Universal Health Services stock opened at $192.45 on Tuesday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $210.01 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $211.85. Universal Health Services has a 1-year low of $152.33 and a 1-year high of $246.32. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The company has a market cap of $11.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.31, a PEG ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.26.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 25th. The health services provider reported $5.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.92 by ($0.04). Universal Health Services had a net margin of 8.57% and a return on equity of 19.65%. The business had revenue of $4.49 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.50 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.92 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Universal Health Services has set its FY 2026 guidance at 22.640-24.520 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Universal Health Services will post 15.92 EPS for the current year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 3.46%.

Universal Health Services Company Profile

Universal Health Services, Inc (NYSE: UHS) is one of the largest diversified health care management companies in the United States, offering a broad spectrum of services through its acute care hospital and behavioral health segments. The company operates general acute care hospitals, surgical hospitals and ambulatory centers, as well as inpatient and outpatient behavioral health facilities. Its network provides emergency and specialized medicine, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, advanced surgical care and rehabilitation, complemented by a comprehensive array of behavioral services including psychiatric treatment, addiction programs and developmental disabilities care.

In the acute care segment, UHS’s facilities deliver services ranging from emergency department treatment and intensive care to maternity care and outpatient surgery.