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Community Health (CYH) Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates, Soar Y/Y

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Community Health Systems, Inc. (CYH - Free Report) reported adjusted income of 40 cents per share for fourth-quarter 2019. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was of a loss of 48 cents per share. The bottom line also came in against the year-ago quarter’s reported loss of 42 cents per share.

Quarterly Operational Update

In the fourth quarter, net operating revenues were $3.2 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.4%. However, the top line plunged 4.8% year over year due to reduced admissions.

The fourth quarter witnessed a 9.9% decrease in admissions and an 8.6% fall in adjusted admissions as well from the respective year-ago figures.

For the fourth quarter of 2019, the company delivered total adjusted EBITDA of $447 million, up 6.7% year over year.

Total operating costs and expenses of $3.1 billion were down 12.5% year over year owing to lower salaries and benefits, impairment and loss on sale of businesses, and supplies and other operating expenses.

Financial Update

Total assets at fourth-quarter end were $15.6 billion, dipping 1.6% from the level at 2018 end.

Cash and cash equivalents were up 10.2% from the level as of 2018 end.

In the fourth quarter, net cash provided by operating activities was $194 million compared with net cash used in operating activities of $165 million a year ago.

The company has long-term debt of $13.4 billion as of Dec 31, 2019, down 0.1% from the level as of Dec 31, 2018.

2020 Guidance

For the year ending Dec 31, 2020, the company expects adjusted EBITDA of $1.65-$1.8 billion. It forecasts its 2020 revenues in the range of $12.4-$12. 8 billion. Net loss attributable to the company is estimated in the band of around 60 cents to $1.30 per share. Same-store hospital annual adjusted admissions growth is assumed to be 1.5-2.5%.  

Capital expenditure is predicted between $400 and $500 million whereas net cash provided by operating activities is projected between $600 and $700 million.

2019 Update

The company incurred net loss of 89 cents per share for the full year, narrower than $1.94 reported in 2018.

In 2019, adjusted EBITDA came in at 1.63 billion, down 0.9% year over year.
Net operating revenues for the year were $13.2 billion, down 6.7% year over year.

The company exited 2019 with 102 hospitals and 16,240 licensed beds.

Zacks Rank and Performance of Other Players

Community Health sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Among other players from the medical sector, having already reported fourth-quarter earnings, the bottom-line results of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH - Free Report) and HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA - Free Report) beat estimates while the same of Anthem Inc. missed its consensus mark.

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