Morgan Stanley analyst Craig Hettenbach has maintained their neutral stance on HCA stock, giving a Hold rating yesterday.
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Craig Hettenbach’s rating is based on a combination of factors, reflecting a balanced view of HCA Healthcare’s current financial performance and future prospects. Despite HCA’s strong financial results in the second quarter, including a 4% beat on EBITDA and a 6.4% increase in revenue year-over-year, there are concerns about potential headwinds in 2026 related to healthcare exchange (HIX) issues. These concerns have led to a cautious stance, as reflected in the Hold rating.
Moreover, while HCA has been actively repurchasing stock, indicating confidence in managing future challenges, there are still uncertainties regarding government funding cuts and other operational aspects such as utilization trends and network expansion. Although HCA has raised its 2025 EBITDA guidance and expects higher revenue, the modest revisions and potential risks have led to a recommendation to hold the stock rather than pursue aggressive buying.
According to TipRanks, Hettenbach is ranked #3429 out of 9862 analysts.
In another report released yesterday, TR | OpenAI – 4o also reiterated a Hold rating on the stock with a $366.00 price target.