Compass Wealth Management LLC Trims Holdings in HCA Healthcare, Inc. $HCA

Compass Wealth Management LLC reduced its stake in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) by 95.7% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 550 shares of the company’s stock after selling 12,197 shares during the period. Compass Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in HCA Healthcare were worth $234,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Chung Wu Investment Group LLC acquired a new position in HCA Healthcare in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Clearstead Trust LLC grew its position in HCA Healthcare by 311.8% in the second quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 70 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares during the period. Ameriflex Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 82.9% during the 3rd quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 75 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in HCA Healthcare in the second quarter valued at about $40,000. 62.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently commented on HCA shares. Oppenheimer upped their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $400.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on HCA Healthcare from $431.00 to $452.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of HCA Healthcare from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, October 25th. Finally, Bank of America lifted their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $430.00 to $470.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $488.75.

Insider Activity at HCA Healthcare

In related news, EVP Michael R. Mcalevey sold 3,892 shares of HCA Healthcare stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $473.79, for a total transaction of $1,843,990.68. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 3,487 shares in the company, valued at $1,652,105.73. This trade represents a 52.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 1.30% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Trending Headlines about HCA Healthcare

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat and solid operational performance: HCA reported $8.01 EPS vs. consensus ~ $7.37, driven by strong patient volumes and higher revenue per equivalent admission—this beat is the primary catalyst for the rally. HCA Healthcare (HCA) Beats Q4 Earnings Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Big capital returns: HCA raised the quarterly dividend ~8.3% to $0.78 and authorized an additional $10 billion for buybacks — increases near-term shareholder cash returns and supports the stock. HCA Healthcare Raises Dividend by 8.3%, Adds $10 Billion to Stock Buyback
• Positive Sentiment: FY2026 profit outlook and cost savings: Management reiterated FY2026 EPS guidance (29.10–31.50) roughly in line with Street and outlined a $400M cost-savings plan that it says will boost profit—supporting forward earnings expectations. HCA Healthcare forecasts 2026 profit above estimates on medical care services demand
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue slightly missed estimates: Q4 revenue was $19.51B vs. the ~$19.67B consensus—top-line growth was positive (+6.7% YoY) but slightly below Street expectations, which tempers the beat. HCA Healthcare earnings press release / transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Management says it can navigate policy uncertainty, but the outlook depends on execution and payer developments. Why HCA says it can navigate 2026 policy uncertainty
• Negative Sentiment: Policy headwinds: HCA flagged roughly a $1 billion hit tied to the loss of ACA premium tax credit flow-through and Medicaid changes—this is a material near-term headwind to revenue/margins. HCA expects $1 billion hit from loss of ACA tax credits, Medicaid changes
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst caution on valuation and margin sustainability: Some analysts warn margins may be peaking and HCA’s valuation now reflects much of the improvement, noting downside risk if policy pressures or margin compression accelerate. HCA Healthcare: A Booming Buyback But Risks Loom (Downgrade)

HCA Healthcare Trading Up 7.2%

Shares of HCA opened at $506.29 on Wednesday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $480.84 and its 200-day simple moving average is $435.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $115.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.57, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.36. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a twelve month low of $295.00 and a twelve month high of $527.55.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The company reported $8.01 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.37 by $0.64. HCA Healthcare had a negative return on equity of 792.25% and a net margin of 8.53%.The company had revenue of $19.51 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.67 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $6.22 earnings per share. HCA Healthcare’s quarterly revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. On average, analysts predict that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 24.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

HCA Healthcare Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th will be given a dividend of $0.78 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 17th. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from HCA Healthcare’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.72. HCA Healthcare’s payout ratio is presently 11.13%.

HCA Healthcare 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.