Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Coverage Initiated at KeyCorp

15 Oct 2024, 02:10 by Renee Jackson · The Cerbat Gem

KeyCorp started coverage on shares of Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS – Free Report) in a research report released on Friday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage issued a sector weight rating on the health services provider’s stock. KeyCorp also issued estimates for Universal Health Services’ FY2024 earnings at $15.60 EPS, FY2025 earnings at $17.36 EPS and FY2026 earnings at $19.48 EPS.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Barclays upgraded shares of Universal Health Services from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $198.00 to $256.00 in a research report on Friday, July 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on Universal Health Services from $200.00 to $229.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Stephens restated an equal weight rating and set a $200.00 price objective on shares of Universal Health Services in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Baird R W raised Universal Health Services from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 26th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Universal Health Services from $189.00 to $222.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Monday, September 9th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $224.92.

Get Our Latest Analysis on UHS

Universal Health Services Stock Performance

Universal Health Services stock opened at $220.45 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $14.75 billion, a PE ratio of 18.68, a P/E/G ratio of 0.70 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $227.69 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $197.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 1.28 and a quick ratio of 1.17. Universal Health Services has a 12 month low of $119.90 and a 12 month high of $243.25.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The health services provider reported $4.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.37 by $0.94. Universal Health Services had a net margin of 6.22% and a return on equity of 14.91%. The company had revenue of $3.91 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.87 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.53 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Universal Health Services will post 15.91 earnings per share for the current year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 3rd were paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.36%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 3rd. Universal Health Services’s payout ratio is presently 6.78%.

Universal Health Services announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback program on Wednesday, July 24th that allows the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the health services provider to buy up to 8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Universal Health Services news, Director Nina Chen-Langenmayr sold 850 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.11, for a total transaction of $180,293.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 1,985 shares in the company, valued at approximately $421,038.35. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, Director Nina Chen-Langenmayr sold 850 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.11, for a total value of $180,293.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 1,985 shares in the company, valued at $421,038.35. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Eileen C. Mcdonnell sold 2,535 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $209.55, for a total transaction of $531,209.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 6,413 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,343,844.15. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 21,970 shares of company stock valued at $4,653,535. 16.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Universal Health Services during the first quarter valued at about $32,000. Blue Trust Inc. increased its position in shares of Universal Health Services by 1,284.6% in the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 180 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 167 shares during the period. Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Universal Health Services during the second quarter valued at about $35,000. Mather Group LLC. bought a new stake in Universal Health Services during the first quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of Universal Health Services in the first quarter worth approximately $36,000. 86.05% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Universal Health Services Company Profile

(Get Free Report)