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Compared to Estimates, HCA (HCA) Q2 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

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HCA Healthcare (HCA - Free Report) reported $17.49 billion in revenue for the quarter ended June 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 10.3%. EPS of $5.50 for the same period compares to $4.29 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $17.11 billion, representing a surprise of +2.22%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +10.66%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $4.97.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how HCA performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

  • Revenue per Equivalent Admission: $17,583 versus the four-analyst average estimate of $17,432.96.
  • Equivalent Admissions: 994.84 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of 982.12 million.
  • Equivalent Patient Days: 4,779.23 thousand versus the three-analyst average estimate of 4,794.21 thousand.
  • Number of hospitals: 188 versus the two-analyst average estimate of 188.
  • Licensed Beds at End of Period: 49,844 versus 49,448 estimated by two analysts on average.
  • Average Length of Stay: 5 versus 5 estimated by two analysts on average.
  • Number of freestanding outpatient surgery centers: 123 versus 121 estimated by two analysts on average.
  • Patient Days: 2,662.55 Days versus 2,675.76 Days estimated by two analysts on average.
  • Admissions: 554.46 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of 547.15 million.
View all Key Company Metrics for HCA here>>>

Shares of HCA have returned -4.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.

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