Assenagon Asset Management S.A. Purchases 56,038 Shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. $UHS

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its position in shares of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) by 229.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 80,480 shares of the health services provider’s stock after buying an additional 56,038 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A.’s holdings in Universal Health Services were worth $17,546,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 320.0% during the 3rd quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 126 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Universal Health Services in the third quarter worth $28,000. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC bought a new stake in shares of Universal Health Services in the second quarter worth $29,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its holdings in Universal Health Services by 94.0% during the third quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 163 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new position in Universal Health Services during the second quarter worth $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Universal Health Services Stock Performance

NYSE UHS opened at $185.14 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 1.26. 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 firm’s fifty day moving average price is $206.27 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $211.97. Universal Health Services, Inc. has a 1 year low of $152.33 and a 1 year high of $246.32.

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

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Monday, March 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.4%. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 3.46%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UHS has been the topic of several recent research reports. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Universal Health Services from $235.00 to $212.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Zacks Research downgraded Universal Health Services from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Cantor Fitzgerald dropped their target price on Universal Health Services from $250.00 to $229.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 27th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Universal Health Services in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Universal Health Services currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $232.21.

About Universal Health Services

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.