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Can Acute Care Strength Offset Universal Health's Rising Q2 Costs?
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Key Takeaways
Acute Care and Behavioral Health growth to support UHS' Q2 revenues and admissions.
Universal Health faces higher labor, benefits and supply costs that could pressure quarterly margins.
Acute Care revenues are projected to rise 6.1%, with operating income expected to increase 17.5%.
Hospital operator Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS - Free Report) is set to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 27, 2026, after the closing bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter’s earnings is currently pegged at $5.66 per shareon revenues of $4.52 billion.
The second-quarter earnings estimate witnessed no movement over the past 60 days. The bottom-line projection indicates a year-over-year increase of 5.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues suggests year-over-year growth of 5.5%.
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For the full-year 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Universal Health’s revenues is pegged at $18.54 billion, implying a rise of 6.8% year over year. Meanwhile, the consensus mark for full-year EPS is pegged at $23.44, implying growth of 7.8% on a year-over-year basis.
Universal Health beat the consensus estimate for earnings in three of the last four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 9.5%. This is depicted in the figure below.
Universal Health Services, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for the company this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy), or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That’s not the case here.
UHS currently has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
What’s Shaping UHS’ Q2 Results?
Universal Health's performance is likely to have been boosted by higher patient days and admissions in both its Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for net revenues in the Acute Care Hospital Services segment is pegged at almost $2.55 billion, indicating 6.1% year-over-year growth. The consensus mark for the unit’s same-facility adjusted admissions indicates 2.8% growth from the prior-year quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for net revenues in the Behavioral Health Care Services segment is pegged at $1.98 billion, indicating a 5.6% increase from the prior-year quarter. The consensus estimate for the unit’s admissions indicates a year-over-year increase of 2.8%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for operating income from Acute Care Hospital Services indicates 17.5% year-over-year growth, while the same for Behavioral Health Care Services suggests a 0.9% decrease.
The positives are likely to have been partially offset by rising total operating expenses by nearly 6%, due to higher salaries, wages and benefits, as well as increased costs for supplies in the second quarter, making an earnings beat uncertain. We anticipate salaries, wages and benefits to increase nearly 4% year over year, while other operating costs are expected to escalate 9.3%.
Stocks That Warrant a Look
While an earnings beat looks uncertain for Universal Health, here are some companies from the broader Medical space that you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this time around:
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ProMIS’ bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter of a loss of $1.45 indicates an 80% year-over-year improvement. It has witnessed one upward revision against no downward movement over the past 60 days.
Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.24% and a Zacks Rank of 2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cardinal Health’s bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter suggests 16.4% year-over-year growth. Its earnings beat estimates in each of the past four quarters, with an average surprise of 10.3%. CAH’s revenues for the to-be-reported quarter are pegged at $65.61 billion, a 9.1% increase from the year-ago period.
Alcon Inc. (ALC - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +3.13% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Alcon’s bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter indicates a 1.3% increase from a year ago. The company’s earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with an average surprise of 3.7%. The consensus estimate for ALC’s revenues is pegged at $2.77 billion, signaling a 7.3% increase.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
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Can Acute Care Strength Offset Universal Health's Rising Q2 Costs?
Key Takeaways
Hospital operator Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS - Free Report) is set to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 27, 2026, after the closing bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter’s earnings is currently pegged at $5.66 per shareon revenues of $4.52 billion.
The second-quarter earnings estimate witnessed no movement over the past 60 days. The bottom-line projection indicates a year-over-year increase of 5.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues suggests year-over-year growth of 5.5%.
For the full-year 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Universal Health’s revenues is pegged at $18.54 billion, implying a rise of 6.8% year over year. Meanwhile, the consensus mark for full-year EPS is pegged at $23.44, implying growth of 7.8% on a year-over-year basis.
Universal Health beat the consensus estimate for earnings in three of the last four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 9.5%. This is depicted in the figure below.
Universal Health Services, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Universal Health Services, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Universal Health Services, Inc. Quote
Q2 Earnings Whispers for UHS
Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for the company this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy), or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That’s not the case here.
UHS currently has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
What’s Shaping UHS’ Q2 Results?
Universal Health's performance is likely to have been boosted by higher patient days and admissions in both its Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for net revenues in the Acute Care Hospital Services segment is pegged at almost $2.55 billion, indicating 6.1% year-over-year growth. The consensus mark for the unit’s same-facility adjusted admissions indicates 2.8% growth from the prior-year quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for net revenues in the Behavioral Health Care Services segment is pegged at $1.98 billion, indicating a 5.6% increase from the prior-year quarter. The consensus estimate for the unit’s admissions indicates a year-over-year increase of 2.8%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for operating income from Acute Care Hospital Services indicates 17.5% year-over-year growth, while the same for Behavioral Health Care Services suggests a 0.9% decrease.
The positives are likely to have been partially offset by rising total operating expenses by nearly 6%, due to higher salaries, wages and benefits, as well as increased costs for supplies in the second quarter, making an earnings beat uncertain. We anticipate salaries, wages and benefits to increase nearly 4% year over year, while other operating costs are expected to escalate 9.3%.
Stocks That Warrant a Look
While an earnings beat looks uncertain for Universal Health, here are some companies from the broader Medical space that you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this time around:
ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. (PMN - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +13.30% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ProMIS’ bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter of a loss of $1.45 indicates an 80% year-over-year improvement. It has witnessed one upward revision against no downward movement over the past 60 days.
Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.24% and a Zacks Rank of 2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cardinal Health’s bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter suggests 16.4% year-over-year growth. Its earnings beat estimates in each of the past four quarters, with an average surprise of 10.3%. CAH’s revenues for the to-be-reported quarter are pegged at $65.61 billion, a 9.1% increase from the year-ago period.
Alcon Inc. (ALC - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +3.13% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Alcon’s bottom line for the to-be-reported quarter indicates a 1.3% increase from a year ago. The company’s earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with an average surprise of 3.7%. The consensus estimate for ALC’s revenues is pegged at $2.77 billion, signaling a 7.3% increase.