HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Stock Price Up 4.2% After Earnings Beat

HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) shot up 4.2% during mid-day trading on Friday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock traded as high as $392.13 and last traded at $392.2950. Approximately 195,252 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 85% from the average session volume of 1,321,555 shares. The stock had previously closed at $376.50.

The company reported $7.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.56 by $0.03. HCA Healthcare had a negative return on equity of 295.93% and a net margin of 8.89%.The company had revenue of $20.23 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.76 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $6.84 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year.

HCA Healthcare News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: HCA beat Q2 earnings estimates, reporting $7.59 per share versus expectations around $7.56-$7.57, while revenue rose 8.7% year over year to $20.23 billion and also topped estimates. HCA Healthcare earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Management cited strong admissions and higher revenue per admission as key drivers of the quarter, suggesting healthy demand trends across its hospital network. Zacks article on HCA Q2 results
• Neutral Sentiment: HCA said its updated guidance is consistent with its earlier preview, so the quarter appears to confirm previously signaled results rather than deliver a major surprise. BusinessWire Q2 results
• Negative Sentiment: The company trimmed parts of its 2026 outlook, pointing to higher expenses and weaker surgical volumes as headwinds that could limit margin expansion. Zacks guidance revision article
• Negative Sentiment: Separate investor-law-firm investigations into HCA may add some legal overhang, though these notices are not operational results. Pomerantz investor alert

Analysts Set New Price Targets

HCA has been the topic of a number of research reports. TD Cowen dropped their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $500.00 to $431.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. KeyCorp decreased their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $510.00 to $475.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of HCA Healthcare from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 9th. Barclays decreased their target price on HCA Healthcare from $427.00 to $402.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, Oppenheimer reduced their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $540.00 to $520.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $483.45.

Institutional Trading of HCA Healthcare

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Palisade Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new position in HCA Healthcare during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 1st quarter worth $33,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare in the third quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, MCF Advisors LLC grew its position in HCA Healthcare by 213.0% in the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 72 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. 62.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

HCA Healthcare Trading Up 1.5%

The stock has a market cap of $84.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.80, a PEG ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 1.12. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $386.95 and its 200 day simple moving average is $453.73.

About HCA Healthcare

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.