Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) Stock Has Consensus Price Target of $204.94

Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE:UHS) has received a consensus rating of “Hold” from the eighteen ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $204.94.

Several research firms have issued reports on UHS. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and set a $183.00 price objective on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $212.00 to $191.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $194.00 target price on shares of Universal Health Services in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Guggenheim dropped their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $195.00 to $189.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on shares of Universal Health Services from $204.00 to $166.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its holdings in Universal Health Services by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 46,719 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $6,947,000 after purchasing an additional 1,885 shares in the last quarter. Talon Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Universal Health Services in the second quarter worth $776,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services by 83.6% during the second quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 7,026 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $1,045,000 after purchasing an additional 3,200 shares during the last quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP grew its holdings in shares of Universal Health Services by 840.2% during the second quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP now owns 10,643 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $1,583,000 after purchasing an additional 9,511 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SVB Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 10.4% in the second quarter. SVB Wealth LLC now owns 13,061 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $1,942,000 after buying an additional 1,232 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Universal Health Services Trading Down 0.7%

UHS stock opened at $177.53 on Friday. Universal Health Services has a 1-year low of $140.08 and a 1-year high of $246.32. The firm has a market cap of $10.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.23, a P/E/G ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 1.06. The business’s 50 day moving average is $171.06 and its 200-day moving average is $167.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The health services provider reported $5.98 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.94 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $4.64 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.58 billion. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 19.39% and a net margin of 8.42%.Universal Health Services’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $5.35 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Universal Health Services will post 22.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Universal Health Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st were paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 1st. Universal Health Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 3.26%.

About Universal Health Services

Universal Health Services, Inc (NYSE: UHS) is a healthcare services company that owns and operates hospitals, outpatient facilities and other healthcare organizations. Its operations are primarily focused on acute care and behavioral health services, serving patients through a network of hospitals, treatment centers and ambulatory facilities.

The company’s acute care activities include general and specialty hospitals that provide services such as emergency care, surgery, inpatient treatment and diagnostic procedures.