HCA Healthcare (HCA), which operates 190 hospitals and around 2,400 ambulatory sites of care in the US and UK, said fourth-quarter revenues climbed to $18.29 billion, compared with $17.30 billion in the same period in 2023. The top line beat analysts’ expectations of $18.23 billion. This growth came in despite the company suffering a $200 million hit to its revenues as Hurricane Helene battered its North Carolina facilities and Hurricane Milton impacted its sites in Florida, leading to the postponement of procedures.
Claim 50% Off TipRanks Premium and Invest with Confidence
- Unlock hedge-fund level data and powerful investing tools designed to help you make smarter, sharper decisions
- Stay ahead of the market with the latest news and analysis so your portfolio is always positioned for maximum potential
The company said all of the affected facilities are now back up and running as normal. HCA shares were down by around 3% in mid-trading on Friday.
Earnings for the period were also affected by the two hurricanes but came in at $6.22 a share, up from $5.90 a year ago and again beating estimates of $6.13.
Aging Population Helps HCA Feel Healthier
HCA Healthcare said that same-facility admissions increased 3% year over year, while same-facility equivalent admissions increased 3.1%. Same-facility emergency room visits increased by 2.4%, and same-facility inpatient surgeries rose by 2.8%. However, same-facility outpatient surgeries declined by 1.3%.
The group is benefiting from an aging population and a trend for patients to be treated in ambulatory care facilities that don’t require overnight hospital stays.
HCA also announced an additional share repurchase program for up to $10 billion and declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.72 per share, up from the $0.66 dividend paid in December.
HCA Provides Strong 2025 Guidance
HCA also provided some healthy-looking guidance, forecasting 2025 EPS of $24.05 to $25.85 versus a consensus of $24.58, with a sales outlook of $72.8 billion to $75.8 billion versus a consensus of $74.76 billion.
It expects a 2025 net profit of $5.85 billion to $6.29 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $14.30 billion to $15.10 billion.
Is HCA a Good Buy?
On TipRanks, HCA has a Moderate Buy consensus based on 10 Buys, five Holds, and one Sell rating. The highest target price is $460. HCA stock’s consensus price target of $382.08 implies 22% upside potential.
