HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) issued an update on 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.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently commented on HCA. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on HCA Healthcare from $534.00 to $435.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings downgraded HCA Healthcare from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 9th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on HCA Healthcare from $436.00 to $428.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of HCA Healthcare from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 2nd. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $500.00 to $431.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $487.27.

HCA Healthcare Price Performance

Shares of HCA stock opened at $380.00 on Thursday. HCA Healthcare has a one year low of $330.00 and a one year high of $556.52. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $394.38 and its 200 day simple moving average is $458.29. The stock has a market capitalization of $84.30 billion, a PE ratio of 13.07, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.12.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 24th. The company reported $7.15 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.19 by ($0.04). HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.89% and a negative return on equity of 295.93%. The firm had revenue of $19.11 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.09 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $6.45 earnings per share. The company’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. As a group, research analysts expect that HCA Healthcare will post 29.97 earnings per share for the current year.

HCA Healthcare Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 16th were given a dividend of $0.78 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, June 16th. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. HCA Healthcare’s dividend payout ratio is presently 10.73%.

More HCA Healthcare News

Here are the key news stories impacting HCA Healthcare this week:

• Positive Sentiment: HCA’s preliminary second-quarter revenue was reported above Wall Street expectations, signaling that demand and patient volumes remain solid even as margins come under pressure.
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts still see the stock as undervalued after its recent pullback, and at least one note maintained an overweight/positive stance despite trimming price targets.
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary says the stock may still trade at a discount based on longer-term earnings and cash flow potential, implying valuation support if policy headwinds ease.
• Negative Sentiment: HCA cut its 2026 earnings outlook after a less favorable payer mix and more uninsured patients reduced profitability, raising concerns about margin compression.
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage changes and price-target cuts from brokers, including Barclays and KeyCorp, reflect increased caution around policy risks and earnings visibility.
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that federal policy changes could cost HCA about $400 million and that uninsured patient trends may trim profits by about $1 billion have further pressured sentiment.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On HCA Healthcare

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Palisade Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Greenline Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $42,000. EFG International AG acquired a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the fourth quarter worth approximately $44,000. Finally, Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter valued at $51,000. 62.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

HCA Healthcare Company Profile

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.