HCA
BULLISHAt a glance
Key valuation, profitability, growth, and risk metrics.
AI Analysis
AI-powered fundamental assessment
Key Strengths
Key Risks
Performance Snowflake
Multi-dimensional analysis across 5 key categories
HCA’s P/E of 18.28 is well below the sector average of 38.11, suggesting relative value, but its negative book value and missing leverage metrics limit the comparability, especially against capital-light peers like SYK (P/E 47.60)
- Forward P/E of 19.25 is reasonable given 42.6% earnings growth, implying a PEG-like ratio well below 1 if estimated
- Price/Sales of 1.45 is attractive for a high-margin, growing healthcare operator
- Price/Book of -20.36 is a major red flag, indicating negative equity or aggressive buybacks
- Lack of EV/EBITDA and EV/Revenue prevents full enterprise valuation assessment
HCA’s growth trajectory is superior to most peers, including MCK (10.1% rev growth) and BMY (2.8%), and is reflected in strong price momentum—up 12.5% in the last month and 37.9% over the past year—indicating sustained investor confidence
- 9.6% YoY revenue growth and 42.6% earnings growth signal strong demand and pricing power
- Q/Q earnings growth of 29.4% indicates ongoing acceleration in profitability
- Forward P/E expansion to 19.25 suggests limited multiple upside unless growth accelerates further
- Healthcare policy risk and labor cost inflation could pressure margins in future quarters
HCA has delivered exceptional earnings consistency over the past five years, with a 225.1% stock return underscoring investor rewards for reliable execution, even amid pandemic volatility and structural healthcare shifts
- 21 of the last 25 quarters beat EPS estimates, with notable surprises in 2021–2024
- Profitability has stabilized with gross margin at 41.38% and operating margin at 15.47%, showing pricing power and cost control
- One earnings miss in the last four quarters (Q4 2024: -1.6%) shows vulnerability to macro or operational hiccups
- EPS growth has decelerated from 2021 highs, with Q/Q growth at only +1.8% in most recent quarter
HCA’s liquidity ratios are below the sector’s average Debt/Equity of 1.18 and raise caution, though its high ROA suggests operational resilience may offset balance sheet risks, unlike more leveraged peers such as BMY (Debt/Equity 2.74)
- High ROA of 12.20% indicates efficient asset utilization despite sector headwinds
- No reported cash burn; operating cash flow likely strong given free cash flow generation capacity
- Current ratio of 0.85 and quick ratio of 0.64 indicate potential short-term liquidity pressure
- Missing debt/equity and total debt/cash figures prevent full solvency assessment, a critical gap
While HCA’s dividend is well-covered and sustainable, its low yield and lack of visible growth history make it less compelling than peers like BMY, which offer higher yields and longer payout track records
- Low payout ratio of 10.9% provides significant dividend safety and room for future increases
- Annual dividend of $2.88 supports a modest but growing yield of 0.61%, attractive in low-yield environment
- Dividend yield of 0.61% is below sector average and may not attract income-focused investors
- No data on dividend growth history or policy consistency limits long-term income thesis
Stock Price & Analyst Targets
Real-time price movements and analyst price targets
Multi-Horizon Performance vs Peers
Price momentum across 5Y → 1W horizons for HCA and closest competitors.
| Company | 5Y | 3Y | 1Y | 6M | 1M | 1W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HCA
HCA Healthcare, Inc.
Primary
|
+225.1% | +111.6% | +37.9% | +22.4% | +12.5% | -0.8% |
|
GSK
GSK plc
Peer
|
+77.5% | +69.5% | +48.1% | +25.9% | +0.7% | -5.5% |
|
BMY
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
Peer
|
+2.8% | -13.4% | -2.9% | +15.8% | +1.1% | -1.1% |
|
MCK
McKesson Corporation
Peer
|
+373.0% | +141.7% | +38.6% | +16.5% | +6.3% | -1.2% |
|
VRTX
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Peer
|
+109.6% | +41.7% | -7.9% | +14.0% | -8.1% | -0.5% |
Positive values indicate cumulative gains over the specified period. Comparables pulled from the same sector to highlight whether momentum is stock-specific or industry-wide.
Historical Performance Trends
Long-term financial metrics and growth patterns
Revenue & Net Income
Profit & Operating Margins
Return on Equity (ROE)
Quarterly Revenue Growth
Valuation Metrics
Key valuation ratios and pricing indicators
Profitability
Profit margins and return metrics
Growth
Revenue and earnings growth rates
Financial Health
Balance sheet strength and liquidity metrics
Quarterly Earnings History
EPS performance vs analyst estimates
Healthcare Sector Comparison
Similar Companies
Peer comparison within the same industry
| Company | AI Rating | Market Cap | P/E | ROE | Profit Margin | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HCA
HCA Healthcare, Inc.
|
BULLISH | $108.0B | 18.28 | -% | 8.5% | $472.65 | |
|
GSK
GSK plc
|
BULLISH | $108.22B | 14.42 | 43.3% | 17.5% | $54.22 | Compare |
|
BMY
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
|
NEUTRAL | $111.25B | 18.46 | 33.8% | 12.6% | $54.65 | Compare |
|
MCK
McKesson Corporation
|
BULLISH | $104.45B | 26.32 | -% | 1.0% | $842.09 | Compare |
|
VRTX
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
|
NEUTRAL | $113.44B | 28.9 | 22.5% | 32.9% | $446.54 | Compare |
Recent Insider Trading
Insider buy and sell transactions from the last 6 months
| Date | Insider | Position | Transaction | Shares | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-05 | MCALEVEY MICHAEL R. | Officer | Sale | 3,892 | $1,843,991 |
| 2025-11-05 | MARKS MIKE A | Chief Financial Officer | Gift | 330 | - |
| 2025-11-03 | MCALEVEY MICHAEL R. | Officer | Option Exercise | 13,170 | $3,116,154 |
| 2025-10-31 | HAZEN SAMUEL N | Chief Executive Officer | Option Exercise | 58,050 | $4,039,119 |
| 2025-09-08 | CUFFE MICHAEL S | Officer | Sale | 3,836 | $1,606,670 |
| 2025-09-04 | CUFFE MICHAEL S | Officer | Option Exercise | 10,920 | $1,890,470 |
| 2025-07-29 | CHIDSEY JOHN W | Director | Stock Award | 496 | - |
Wall Street Analysts
Professional analyst ratings and price targets
Past News Coverage
Recent headlines mentioning HCA from our newsroom.