Barclays Raises Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) Price Target to $189.00

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) had its price objective boosted by Barclays from $181.00 to $189.00 in a report released on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an equal weight rating on the health services provider’s stock.

Several other research firms have also commented on UHS. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on Universal Health Services from $208.00 to $203.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 12th. Citigroup increased their target price on Universal Health Services from $170.00 to $193.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Universal Health Services from $170.00 to $189.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, March 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Universal Health Services from $144.00 to $182.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 13th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an underweight rating and issued a $156.00 price objective on shares of Universal Health Services in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Universal Health Services presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $182.64.

Universal Health Services Stock Up 1.8 %

Universal Health Services stock opened at $169.12 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.33, a P/E/G ratio of 0.82 and a beta of 1.24. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $170.76 and its 200-day simple moving average is $154.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.38, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. Universal Health Services has a twelve month low of $119.90 and a twelve month high of $183.61.

Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 24th. The health services provider reported $3.70 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.14 by $0.56. The firm had revenue of $3.84 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.78 billion. Universal Health Services had a return on equity of 13.34% and a net margin of 5.57%. Universal Health Services’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.34 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Universal Health Services will post 13.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Universal Health Services

In other news, CFO Steve Filton sold 35,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $176.82, for a total transaction of $6,188,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 68,785 shares in the company, valued at $12,162,563.70. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Insiders own 16.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal Health Services

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in UHS. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its stake in shares of Universal Health Services by 48.0% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 1,967,220 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $247,339,000 after buying an additional 638,166 shares during the period. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. lifted its position in Universal Health Services by 32,501.2% in the fourth quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 570,847 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $87,020,000 after purchasing an additional 569,096 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Universal Health Services in the fourth quarter valued at about $86,117,000. Point72 Asset Management L.P. lifted its position in Universal Health Services by 12,924.9% in the fourth quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 503,935 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $76,820,000 after purchasing an additional 500,066 shares during the period. Finally, Pzena Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Universal Health Services in the fourth quarter valued at about $49,212,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.05% of the company’s stock.

Universal Health Services Company Profile

Universal Health Services, Inc, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates acute care hospitals, and outpatient and behavioral health care facilities. It operates through Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments. The company's hospitals offer general and specialty surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic and coronary care, pediatric services, pharmacy services, and/or behavioral health services.