Simplicity Wealth LLC Invests $699,000 in HCA Healthcare, Inc. $HCA

Simplicity Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 1,793 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $699,000.

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Palisade Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Clearstead Trust LLC purchased a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the first quarter worth $33,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in HCA Healthcare during the third quarter valued at about $33,000. 62.73% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance

NYSE:HCA opened at $405.53 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $87.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.58, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a 50-day moving average of $394.30 and a 200-day moving average of $445.90. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a 52 week low of $353.99 and a 52 week high of $556.52.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The company reported $7.59 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.56 by $0.03. HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.77% and a negative return on equity of 244.79%. The firm had revenue of $20.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.76 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $6.84 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 29.47 EPS for the current year.

HCA Healthcare Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 16th will be given a $0.78 dividend. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 16th. HCA Healthcare’s dividend payout ratio is 10.45%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

HCA has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $369.00 to $381.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Barclays lowered their price target on HCA Healthcare from $402.00 to $387.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 27th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of HCA Healthcare from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 2nd. Stephens decreased their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $560.00 to $530.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $435.00 price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $465.59.

HCA Healthcare 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.