Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Stock

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) had its price target upped by equities researchers at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from $500.00 to $558.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft’s target price indicates a potential upside of 12.14% from the company’s previous close.

HCA has been the topic of several other research reports. Stephens upped their price target on shares of HCA Healthcare from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $423.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of HCA Healthcare from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, October 25th. KeyCorp reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $500.00 price target on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on HCA Healthcare from $525.00 to $535.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $503.29.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance

Shares of HCA opened at $497.59 on Wednesday. HCA Healthcare has a 1 year low of $295.00 and a 1 year high of $527.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $113.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.33, a P/E/G ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.36. The company’s fifty day moving average is $480.84 and its two-hundred day moving average is $435.90.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The company reported $8.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.37 by $0.64. The firm had revenue of $19.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.67 billion. HCA Healthcare had a negative return on equity of 792.25% and a net margin of 8.53%.HCA Healthcare’s revenue was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $6.22 earnings per share. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that HCA Healthcare will post 24.98 EPS for the current year.

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 shares were sold at an average price of $473.79, for a total transaction of $1,843,990.68. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,487 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,652,105.73. This represents a 52.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.30% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On HCA Healthcare

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Capital World Investors raised its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 3.8% during the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,959,336 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,113,662,000 after buying an additional 179,443 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of HCA Healthcare in the 2nd quarter worth about $1,152,408,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,065,225 shares of the company’s stock worth $880,199,000 after acquiring an additional 36,414 shares in the last quarter. Viking Global Investors LP raised its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 58.5% in the second quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 1,872,133 shares of the company’s stock valued at $717,214,000 after buying an additional 690,773 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc increased its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 0.8% in the third quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 1,124,511 shares of the company’s stock valued at $479,267,000 after purchasing an additional 8,478 shares in the last quarter. 62.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More HCA Healthcare News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat — HCA reported adjusted EPS of $8.01, well above Street estimates, driven by stronger patient volumes and higher revenue per equivalent admission. Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Large capital return: HCA announced a $10 billion boost to its share buyback program and raised the quarterly dividend 8.3% to $0.78 per share — an immediate boost to shareholder value and EPS support from buybacks. Buyback & Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: 2026 outlook: Management issued FY2026 EPS guidance of $29.10–$31.50 and revenue guidance of $76.5B–$80.0B, and forecast profit above consensus citing lower costs, demand for services and a $400M cost-savings plan. These items support continued margin improvement and cash flow. 2026 Guidance
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue slightly missed: Q4 revenue was $19.51B vs. consensus ~$19.67B — strong EPS was driven more by margin expansion and buybacks than top-line beat. Q4 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Operating performance: Net income rose ~18% in 2025 and management is expanding resiliency initiatives — positive operational momentum but incremental benefit may be moderating. Net Income Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Policy and payer headwinds: Management flagged material policy-driven hits (estimates in recent coverage cite roughly $600M–$1B) from changes to ACA exchange subsidies and Medicaid — a recurring tail risk to revenue and margin. Policy Headwinds
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and risk note: Some analysts warn HCA’s valuation is rich after the rally and that margin gains may be nearing a peak, leaving upside reliant on continued buybacks, execution and policy clarity. Valuation Risk

HCA Healthcare Company Profile

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.