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HCA Healthcare (HCA - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $323.55, moving +0.72% from the previous trading session. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily gain of 1.12%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a rise of 0.61%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw an increase of 1.54%.
Shares of the hospital operator have appreciated by 3.58% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Medical sector's gain of 2.49% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.06%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of HCA Healthcare in its upcoming release. On that day, HCA Healthcare is projected to report earnings of $4.92 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 0.2%. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $16.79 billion, up 7.72% from the year-ago period.
Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $20.49 per share and revenue of $68.97 billion. These totals would mark changes of +7.79% and +6.16%, respectively, from last year.
Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for HCA Healthcare. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the company's business operations and its ability to generate profits.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection has moved 0.06% higher. HCA Healthcare is currently a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Valuation is also important, so investors should note that HCA Healthcare has a Forward P/E ratio of 15.68 right now. This valuation marks a discount compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 16.03.
Meanwhile, HCA's PEG ratio is currently 1.61. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. The Medical - Hospital was holding an average PEG ratio of 1.97 at yesterday's closing price.
The Medical - Hospital industry is part of the Medical sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 95, this industry ranks in the top 38% of all industries, numbering over 250.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.
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HCA Healthcare (HCA) Rises Yet Lags Behind Market: Some Facts Worth Knowing
HCA Healthcare (HCA - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $323.55, moving +0.72% from the previous trading session. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily gain of 1.12%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a rise of 0.61%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw an increase of 1.54%.
Shares of the hospital operator have appreciated by 3.58% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Medical sector's gain of 2.49% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.06%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of HCA Healthcare in its upcoming release. On that day, HCA Healthcare is projected to report earnings of $4.92 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 0.2%. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $16.79 billion, up 7.72% from the year-ago period.
Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $20.49 per share and revenue of $68.97 billion. These totals would mark changes of +7.79% and +6.16%, respectively, from last year.
Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for HCA Healthcare. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the company's business operations and its ability to generate profits.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection has moved 0.06% higher. HCA Healthcare is currently a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Valuation is also important, so investors should note that HCA Healthcare has a Forward P/E ratio of 15.68 right now. This valuation marks a discount compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 16.03.
Meanwhile, HCA's PEG ratio is currently 1.61. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. The Medical - Hospital was holding an average PEG ratio of 1.97 at yesterday's closing price.
The Medical - Hospital industry is part of the Medical sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 95, this industry ranks in the top 38% of all industries, numbering over 250.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.