Sterneck Capital Management LLC Purchases Shares of 1,197 HCA Healthcare, Inc. $HCA

Sterneck Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 1,197 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $510,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Chung Wu Investment Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Clearstead Trust LLC raised its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 311.8% during the second quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 70 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares during the period. Ameriflex Group Inc. purchased a new position in HCA Healthcare during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 82.9% in the third quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 75 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the period. Finally, Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the 2nd quarter worth about $40,000. 62.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting HCA Healthcare

Here are the key news stories impacting HCA Healthcare this week:

• Positive Sentiment: HCA is among the first health systems to access OpenAI’s new healthcare programs — a move that could drive clinical efficiency, faster workflow automation and potential cost savings if deployed broadly across HCA’s network. HCA Healthcare among first to access OpenAI’s new health care programs
• Positive Sentiment: OpenAI launched ChatGPT for Healthcare at several large systems — broader industry adoption reduces implementation risk and can accelerate HCA’s rollout benefits (clinical decision support, patient triage, revenue-cycle automation). OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Healthcare at several large health systems
• Positive Sentiment: HCA and AdventHealth are expanding ER footprints in Florida — inorganic/greenfield capacity additions should help volume growth and market share in a high-margin service line. HCA, AdventHealth expand Florida ER footprints
• Positive Sentiment: A new emergency facility opened in Arlington — incremental capacity and local access that can lift admissions and outpatient revenues. New emergency health facility opens in Arlington
• Positive Sentiment: HCA Florida Capital Hospital and UCF launched a medical residency program — strengthens physician pipeline and could reduce staffing pressures/costs over time. HCA Florida Capital Hospital, UCF create new medical residency program
• Positive Sentiment: An analyst raised HCA’s price target to $520 — a bullish signal that supports upside in the medium term if execution and margins track. HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Price Target Raised to $520.00
• Neutral Sentiment: HCA Georgia hospital named a new CFO — routine executive hire that supports local operations but is not material company‑wide. HCA Georgia hospital taps CFO
• Neutral Sentiment: HCA rolled out a “Talk to a nurse for free” service — positive PR and access initiative but limited immediate financial impact. HCA says: ‘Talk to a nurse for free’
• Negative Sentiment: CEO exit after nine months at an HCA Virginia behavioral health hospital — leadership turnover can signal integration or operational issues in a growing behavioral-health segment. HCA Virginia behavioral health hospital CEO exits after 9 months
• Negative Sentiment: A MarketWatch note flagged HCA’s relative underperformance versus peers on a recent trading day — highlights near‑term downside risk if investors rotate into other healthcare names. HCA Healthcare Inc. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors despite daily gains

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on HCA shares. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $505.00 to $520.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on HCA Healthcare from $423.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of HCA Healthcare from $430.00 to $470.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, October 27th. Zacks Research cut shares of HCA Healthcare from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, November 27th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on HCA Healthcare from $485.00 to $525.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, HCA Healthcare has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $485.95.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance

NYSE:HCA opened at $472.40 on Monday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $479.87 and a 200-day moving average of $427.76. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a 52 week low of $295.00 and a 52 week high of $520.00. The company has a market capitalization of $107.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.26, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.36.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last issued its earnings results on Friday, October 24th. The company reported $6.96 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.64 by $1.32. The company had revenue of $19.16 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.55 billion. HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.53% and a negative return on equity of 792.25%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $4.90 EPS. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2025 guidance at 27.000-28.000 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 24.98 EPS for the current year.

HCA Healthcare Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 29th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 15th were paid a dividend of $0.72 per share. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 15th. HCA Healthcare’s dividend payout ratio is 11.13%.

Insider Transactions at HCA Healthcare

In other HCA Healthcare news, EVP Michael R. Mcalevey sold 3,892 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $473.79, for a total value of $1,843,990.68. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,487 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,652,105.73. This trade represents a 52.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.30% of the company’s stock.

About HCA Healthcare

HCA Healthcare is a for‑profit operator of healthcare facilities headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1968, the company owns and operates a network of hospitals and related healthcare facilities and has grown through organic expansion and acquisitions to become a large provider of inpatient and outpatient services.

The company’s core activities include the operation of acute care hospitals, freestanding surgical and emergency centers, and outpatient clinics. HCA’s services encompass inpatient care, surgical services, emergency medicine, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing, and various outpatient and ambulatory care offerings.