HCA Healthcare FY2026 EPS Forecast Raised by Zacks Research

HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) – Equities researchers at Zacks Research raised their FY2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for HCA Healthcare in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, February 10th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the company will earn $29.31 per share for the year, up from their previous estimate of $28.47. Zacks Research has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for HCA Healthcare’s current full-year earnings is $24.98 per share.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The company reported $8.01 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $7.37 by $0.64. The firm had revenue of $19.51 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.67 billion. HCA Healthcare had a negative return on equity of 409.11% and a net margin of 8.97%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $6.22 earnings per share. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS.

A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on HCA. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on HCA Healthcare from $535.00 to $590.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of HCA Healthcare from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, October 25th. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $500.00 to $540.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $520.00 to $546.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $523.27.

HCA Healthcare Trading Up 5.8%

HCA Healthcare stock opened at $530.95 on Thursday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $480.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $446.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $121.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 1.36. HCA Healthcare has a 1-year low of $295.00 and a 1-year high of $534.59.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Canopy Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $225,000. SmartHarvest Portfolios LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 4th quarter worth $341,000. Picton Mahoney Asset Management grew its stake in shares of HCA Healthcare by 25,866.7% in the fourth quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 779 shares of the company’s stock worth $364,000 after acquiring an additional 776 shares during the period. Meeder Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 3,829.2% during the 4th quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 37,485 shares of the company’s stock valued at $17,500,000 after purchasing an additional 36,531 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC grew its holdings in HCA Healthcare by 94.7% during the fourth quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 35,725 shares of the company’s stock valued at $16,679,000 after purchasing an additional 17,374 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.73% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at HCA Healthcare

In related news, EVP Michael S. Cuffe sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $498.09, for a total transaction of $747,135.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 30,003 shares in the company, valued at $14,944,194.27. The trade was a 4.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.30% of the company’s stock.

HCA Healthcare Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th will be issued a $0.78 dividend. This is a boost from HCA Healthcare’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.72. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 17th. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. HCA Healthcare’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 10.15%.

HCA Healthcare News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised multiple near‑ and long‑term EPS forecasts for HCA (Q2–Q4 2026, several quarters in 2027, FY2027 and FY2028), boosting modeled future profitability even though Zacks retains a “Hold” rating — this analyst upgrade is a primary driver of the stock move.
• Positive Sentiment: HCA’s outpatient expansion continues to reshape its care network, increasing lower‑cost, higher‑margin ambulatory volumes that can lift revenue growth and operating margins over time. HCA’s outpatient boom reshapes its care network
• Positive Sentiment: StoneSprings Hospital Center plans to convert a deli into a freestanding ER in Chantilly — a localized capacity expansion to capture ED volume and downstream admissions/surgeries, signaling continued investment in site-of-care growth. HCA’s StoneSprings Hospital Center looks to turn Chantilly deli into freestanding ER
• Neutral Sentiment: HCA ASC real estate was sold — this monetizes noncore assets and can free cash (positive) but may imply sale‑leaseback obligations (costs) depending on terms; impact depends on deal structure and use of proceeds. HCA ASC real estate sold
• Neutral Sentiment: An HCA veteran has taken a COO role at Memorial Health (Georgia/Florida reports) — routine executive movement that highlights HCA’s management bench but likely has limited direct impact on HCA’s near‑term results. Former HCA Florida executive joins Memorial Health as COO HCA veteran named COO of Memorial Health in Georgia
• Neutral Sentiment: Other local developments and community activity (interfacility transport partnerships, Habitat build, internal nursing leadership moves) are operational/CSR items that support reputation and network functioning but are unlikely to move earnings materially in the near term. AmeriPro Health expands Fla. operations with new interfacility transport partnership HCA Healthcare leaders join Habitat build in Dorchester County HCA Missouri hospital taps chief nurse

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.